The “missing link” in Durkheim's sociological theory

Abstract

In Durkheim's sociological theory, we can see a remarkable imbalance between theoretical significance of “association” and “densite dynamique” and the degree of substantially sociological clarifications of these two terms. They occupy, on the one hand, so much important position. In De la division du travail social, “densite dynamique” is grasped undividedly with “densite materielle” which is regarded as its direct manifestation. But, in Les regles de la methode sociologique, it is defined as genetical dynamics in “association”, and placed at the main motrice of genesis and change of society as a whole. On the other hand, concrete reality of “association” and “densite dynamique” is far from substantially sociological clarifications. This paper, with a view to get a substantially sociological understanding of these two terms, will examine the result of the contents of genetical theory of natural scientific character and participation of his selective concern, and then point out that the main cause of this result consisted ultimately in his non-empirical, so non-positivistic grasp of human consciousnessAt last, with his own fully different grasp of human consciousness as a turning point, we will fundamentally change the contents of genetical theory to that in moral sociology, and then, present new theoretical problem.