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Talcott Parsons

Talcott Parsons Quotes

Sociologist

Talcott Parsons (December 13, 1902 - May 8, 1979) was an influential American sociologist known for his structural functionalist theory. His work provided significant insights into understanding social structures, social change, and the functioning of social systems.

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Famous Talcott Parsons Quotes

“If capitalism begins as the practical idealism of the aspiring bourgeoisie, it ends ... as an orgy of materialism.”

Ifs Ends Capitalism Practicals Materialism Idealism Bourgeoisie

Book:The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism

Source: The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism

“Spencers god was Evolution, sometimes also called Progress.”

Sometimes Progress Evolution

Book:Readings from Talcott Parsons

Source: Readings from Talcott Parsons

“If there are four equations and only three variables, and no one of the equations is derivable from the others by algebraic manipulation then there is another variable missing.”

Ifs Three Four Missing Manipulation Equations Variables

Book:THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL ACTION

Source: THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL ACTION

“The functions of the family in a highly differentiated society are not to be interpreted as functions directly on behalf of the society, but on behalf of personality.”

Personality Function Behalf

Book:Family Socialization and Interaction Process

Source: Family Socialization and Interaction Process

“It is that of increasing knowledge of empirical fact, intimately combined with changing interpretations of this body of fact - hence changing general statements about it - and, not least, a changing a structure of the theoretical system.”

Facts Body Structure Statements Interpretation Theoretical Increasing Knowledge

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“It is probably safe to say that all the changes of factual knowledge which have led to the relativity theory, resulting in a very great theoretical development, are completely trivial from any point of view except their relevance to the structure of a theoretical system.”

Views Theory Development Safe Structure Point Of View Corny Theoretical Relevance Relativity Factual

Book:THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL ACTION

Source: THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL ACTION

“Special emphasis should be laid on this intimate interrelation of general statements about empirical fact with the logical elements and structure of theoretical systems.”

Should Facts Special Elements Structure Statements Intimate Logical Emphasis Theoretical

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“The hypothesis may be put forward, to be tested by the s subsequent investigation, that this development has been in large part a matter of the reciprocal interaction of new factual insights and knowledge on the one hand with changes in the theoretical system on the other.”

May Has Beens Matter Hands Development Insight Interaction Investigation Tested Hypothesis Theoretical Factual Reciprocal

Book:Readings from Talcott Parsons

Source: Readings from Talcott Parsons

“The implications of these considerations justify the statement that all empirically verifiable knowledge even the commonsense knowledge of everyday life - involves implicitly, if not explicitly, systematic theory in this sense.”

Ifs Theory Everyday Statements Consideration Justify Everyday Life Implications Systematic

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“Sociology should... be thought of as a science of action-of the ultimate common value element in its relations to the other elements of action.”

Should Action Science Values Common Elements Ultimate Accounts Relation Sociology

Book:Structure of Social Action

Source: Structure of Social Action

“A scientifically unimportant discovery is one which, however true and however interesting for other reasons, has no consequences for a system of theory with which scientists in that field are concerned.”

Reason Science Interesting Fields Theory Discovery Consequence Concerned Scientist Importance Unimportant

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“Science is intimately integrated with the whole social structure and cultural tradition. They mutually support one other-only in certain types of society can science flourish, and conversely without a continuous and healthy development and application of science such a society cannot function properly.”

Whole Science Certain Culture Social Support Health Type Development Healthy Tradition Accounts Function Structure Application Integrated Social Structure

Author:Talcott Parsons

“If observed facts of undoubted accuracy will not fit any of the alternatives it leaves open, the system itself is in need of reconstruction.”

Ifs Needs Facts Fit Alternatives Accuracy Reconstruction

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“Empirical interest will be in the facts so far as they are relevant to the solution of these problems.”

Facts Problem Interest Solutions Relevant

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“A gloss is a total system of perception and language.”

Language Perception Gloss

Author:Talcott Parsons

“But the scientific importance of a change in knowledge of fact consists precisely in j its having consequences for a system of theory.”

Facts Theory Consequence Importance

Author:Talcott Parsons

“The importance of certain problems concerning the facts will be inherent in the structure of the system.”

Facts Problem Certain Importance Structure Inherent

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“The part an actor played on stage was once written on a separate roll of paper.”

Actors Written Stage Paper

Author:Talcott Parsons

“Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us what we want to know, that is, the questions to which an answer is needed.”

Knows Want Answers Theory Needed

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“A theoretical system does not merely state facts which have been observed and that logically deducible relations to other facts which have also been observed.”

Doe Has Beens States Facts Relation Theoretical

Book:The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

Source: The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers

“But the fact a person denies that he is theorising is no reason for taking him at his word and failing to investigate what implicit theory is involved in his statements.”

Persons Reason Facts Failing Theory Involved Deny Statements No Reason Implicit

Book:Structure of Social Action

Source: Structure of Social Action

About the Author

Born: December 13, 1902
Died: May 8, 1979
Known for: Sociologist
Quotes: 21

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Books & Sources

The Structure of Social Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European WritersRelated source material

Readings from Talcott ParsonsRelated source material

Structure of Social ActionRelated source material

THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL ACTIONRelated source material

Family Socialization and Interaction ProcessRelated source material

The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalismRelated source material

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