OUR ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE
The way we use language to describe society can often lead us to wrong ideas. Many terms we use imply that social structures and behaviors result from conscious design by an individual or a group, rather than emerging naturally. This goes back to a time when people thought order was always created deliberately. Because of this, most words we use can suggest the presence of a personal designer, which can mislead our understanding of social dynamics. While scientific terms also have human-like origins, in physics, for example, terms like "force" or "inertia" are understood in a technical way. However, calling society "acting" can create confusion.
There's a tendency to anthropomorphize or assign human qualities to abstract concepts like society, leading to a mistaken belief that these constructs have intentions or designs. In discussing different types of order, it’s crucial to use words that clearly differentiate between those created through intention and those that develop spontaneously. Misunderstandings arise when we imply that society has intentions, directives, or responsibilities, which can make us assume all social rules are created by someone. This flawed thinking influences important political theories, especially legal positivism, which wrongly views all laws as products of individual will. Additionally, the term "function" often leads to the misconception that what serves a purpose must do so under conscious direction, when in reality, such functions can exist without such awareness.
The way we use language to describe society can often lead us to wrong ideas. Many terms we use imply that social structures and behaviors result from conscious design by an individual or a group, rather than emerging naturally. This goes back to a time when people thought order was always created deliberately. Because of this, most words we use can suggest the presence of a personal designer, which can mislead our understanding of social dynamics. While scientific terms also have human-like origins, in physics, for example, terms like "force" or "inertia" are understood in a technical way. However, calling society "acting" can create confusion.
There's a tendency to anthropomorphize or assign human qualities to abstract concepts like society, leading to a mistaken belief that these constructs have intentions or designs. In discussing different types of order, it’s crucial to use words that clearly differentiate between those created through intention and those that develop spontaneously. Misunderstandings arise when we imply that society has intentions, directives, or responsibilities, which can make us assume all social rules are created by someone. This flawed thinking influences important political theories, especially legal positivism, which wrongly views all laws as products of individual will. Additionally, the term "function" often leads to the misconception that what serves a purpose must do so under conscious direction, when in reality, such functions can exist without such awareness.