Philosophy of the Social Sciences Vol. 3

Professor Wisdom considers the problem of social pathology in modern society in terms of a breakdown of social structure. He gives the notion of social structure an unusually careful explanation. Examples are drawn from Marx, Lorenz, and post-war Great Britain and develops the idea that a common underlying factor where social structures go badly wrong lies in the breakdown of Caste. When firm structures become loosened, social pathology must be faced. To handle this, society has to...
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Professor Wisdom considers the problem of social pathology in modern society in terms of a breakdown of social structure. He gives the notion of social structure an unusually careful explanation. Examples are drawn from Marx, Lorenz, and post-war Great Britain and develops the idea that a common underlying factor where social structures go badly wrong lies in the breakdown of Caste. When firm structures become loosened, social pathology must be faced. To handle this, society has to utilise an internal social control system. Professor Wisdom outlines and explains one such system which he describes as an automic cybernetic control mechanism. In a disturbance, thus restoring equilibrium. This application of the idea of cybernetics to society seems to be totally new and it should be important for insight into the idea of social stability.