The Benedictine Ethic and the Modern Spirit of Scheduling

On Schedules and Social Organization

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2273992
AutoresEviatar Zerubavel (University of Pittsburgh, autor de correspondencia)
Año1980
Volumen50
Número2
Páginas157-169
Fecha de publicación1980-04-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociological Inquiry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0038-0245 • E-ISSN: 1475-682X
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1475-682x.1980.tb00383.x
OpenAlexW2040546070
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas19
Referencias citadas25

This paper examines the role of schedules in social life. It first explains why both the schedule and the clock were introduced to the West through the Benedictine monasteries. Then it brings into focus the main principle underlying the schedule, namely temporal regularity, which involves the standardization of the temporal locations of events and activities and of their rates of recurrence, as well as the rigidification of their durations and sequential structures. Following a discussion of the constraints as well as the conveniences involved in using the schedule, it also examines two other implications of its introduction to the West-an abstract conception and a utilitarian philosophy of time. It ends with a discussion of the role of the schedule in enhancing both mechanical and organic solidarity

Economics · Epistemology · Focus (optics) · Management · Operations management · Operations research · Political science · Schedule · Scheduling (production processes) · Sociology · Solidarity · Augustinian Studies and Theology · Engineering · Law · Medieval Philosophy and Theology · Philosophy · Reformation and Early Modern Christianity