Stanley Raffel
Biographic Data
| ID | 3660382 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Stanley Raffel |
| GIVEN NAMES | Stanley |
| FAMILY NAME | Raffel |
| SIGNATURE | RAFFEL S |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Edinburgh |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 30 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 19 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1973 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Matters of Fact
The everyday life of the self
Erving Goffman's highly influential first book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, introduced the concept of impression management. In spite of the fact that the book has been subject to several cogent criticisms, notably by three major theorists in their own right, Gouldner, Garfinkel, and Habermas, its main thesis has shown remarkable resiliency. I try to suggest that this may be because both Goffman and his critics have their points. T…
The interplay of courage and reason in moral action
[[courageJürgen HabermasChristoph MenkemoralityPlatoreasonPeter Sloterdijk ]] This article argues that both courage and reason are necessary aspects of moral action. It begins by examining Plato’s changing conceptions of these two virtues, and, in particular, the settled view he arrives at in The Statesman. Sloterdijk’s recent attempt in his book advocating rage to appropriate this dialogue in order to criticize Habermas is then considered. I sug…
Understanding Each Other
Peter McHugh’s Late Work
Assessing a Revolution
This article seeks to develop the significance of the 1960s as a period of cultural revolution. Early Baudrillard is treated as the cultural revolution's equivalent to Marx. The idea of unproductive expenditure is seen as the era's central idea. having discussed, as does Baudrillard, typical 1960s' phenomena as examples of unproductive expenditure, the question of the eventual fate of the cultural revolution is explored. The article analyzes 1980…
Self-Reflective Rule-Following
This article is an investigation of the problem of how persons follow social rules. It begins by acknowledging the significance of the conception of rule-following and its relation to social order that Harold Garfinkel has developed. It is argued that this conception is much more descriptive of social reality than the one associated with Garfinkel's predecessor, Talcott Parsons. The study then goes on to depict how Alan Blum and Peter McHugh, whi…
Parasites, principles and the problem of attachment to place
This article is concerned with exploring the idea of places as providing persons with nourishment. This version of person–place relations is displayed in a paper by McHugh and, in provocative fashion, in Michel Serres’s analysis of the human condition as a parasitic one. Unlike McHugh, Serres combines his analysis of parasites with a concern that principled actors may be insufficiently attached to places. His views are revealed in his interpretat…
Imagination
Teaching Social Rules
The article presents one perspective on how children can be encouraged to develop moral judgement. The recalcitrance that Piaget encounters in his attempts to teach his own daughter a specific mundane rule provide a focus for much of the discussion. The differing impact of two separate strategies for conveying the point of rules, both on immediate behaviour and on long-term judgement, is assessed. A major conclusion concerns the need to modify di…
Baudrillard on Simulations
This paper is an attempt to explain, apply, and ultimately to point to certain limitations of, Baudrillard's idea that ours is the age of simulations. As the concept has not always been clearly discussed in the literature, early sections of the paper are devoted to describing the notion and providing some specific examples. How Baudrillard can claim that the age of simulations represents a new, qualitatively distinct, stage of society is also exa…
If Goffman Had Read Levinas
The article attempts to explore fundamental assumptions underlying Goffman's theory of interaction. Goffman's work has long been criticized for certain pervasive weaknesses such as the idea of a self as 'inside' and therefore inaccessible, an indifference to any distinction between appearance and reality, and a lack of concern for morality. It is argued that combating these and related problems necessitates uncovering the philosophical roots of G…
On generosity
The article addresses the problem of how to theorize generosity. It argues that generosity is a matter of social actors orienting to standards and suggests, drawing on an analysis by Derrida, that while he too sees the necessity of standards, for him this leads to certain dilemmas as to how actors can actually accomplish generosity. How can actors display the fulsomeness generosity requires while still respecting standards or limits? An attempt i…
Revisiting Role Theory
This paper looks at some of the major texts in the history of role theory. The question that is asked is whether any of these works have been able to theorize the self adequately. It is suggested that neither Parsons nor Merton has any place for the self in their respective theories. While Goffman does make a space for the self, it is only a negative space. Even ethnomethodological theory cannot imagine a role player capable of self-expression. I…
Identity, self-reflection and the problem of validating standards
This article argues that the issue of identity- in the sense of coming to self-consciousness- is an important one for modem social theory. I begin the argument by suggesting how this issue is ignored by some influential recent theorists- to their cost. I then show that other significant recent theories are in some sense addressing the issue, albeit from widely different perspectives. After this introductory discussion of relevant literature, I of…
Parental Uncertainty as Pain
Matters of Fact
On the Beginning of Social Inquiry
La rebuffade
Blum Alan F., Foss Daniel, McHugh Peter, Raffel Stanley. La rebuffade. In: Communications, 20, 1973. Le sociologique et le linguistique. pp. 225-245
The everyday life of the self
Erving Goffman's highly influential first book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, introduced the concept of impression management. In spite of the fact that the book has been subject to several cogent criticisms, notably by three major theorists in their own right, Gouldner, Garfinkel, and Habermas, its main thesis has shown remarkable resiliency. I try to suggest that this may be because both Goffman and his critics have their points. T…
Matters of Fact
If Goffman Had Read Levinas
The article attempts to explore fundamental assumptions underlying Goffman's theory of interaction. Goffman's work has long been criticized for certain pervasive weaknesses such as the idea of a self as 'inside' and therefore inaccessible, an indifference to any distinction between appearance and reality, and a lack of concern for morality. It is argued that combating these and related problems necessitates uncovering the philosophical roots of G…
Revisiting Role Theory
This paper looks at some of the major texts in the history of role theory. The question that is asked is whether any of these works have been able to theorize the self adequately. It is suggested that neither Parsons nor Merton has any place for the self in their respective theories. While Goffman does make a space for the self, it is only a negative space. Even ethnomethodological theory cannot imagine a role player capable of self-expression. I…
Parasites, principles and the problem of attachment to place
This article is concerned with exploring the idea of places as providing persons with nourishment. This version of person–place relations is displayed in a paper by McHugh and, in provocative fashion, in Michel Serres’s analysis of the human condition as a parasitic one. Unlike McHugh, Serres combines his analysis of parasites with a concern that principled actors may be insufficiently attached to places. His views are revealed in his interpretat…
On generosity
The article addresses the problem of how to theorize generosity. It argues that generosity is a matter of social actors orienting to standards and suggests, drawing on an analysis by Derrida, that while he too sees the necessity of standards, for him this leads to certain dilemmas as to how actors can actually accomplish generosity. How can actors display the fulsomeness generosity requires while still respecting standards or limits? An attempt i…
Teaching Social Rules
The article presents one perspective on how children can be encouraged to develop moral judgement. The recalcitrance that Piaget encounters in his attempts to teach his own daughter a specific mundane rule provide a focus for much of the discussion. The differing impact of two separate strategies for conveying the point of rules, both on immediate behaviour and on long-term judgement, is assessed. A major conclusion concerns the need to modify di…
Baudrillard on Simulations
This paper is an attempt to explain, apply, and ultimately to point to certain limitations of, Baudrillard's idea that ours is the age of simulations. As the concept has not always been clearly discussed in the literature, early sections of the paper are devoted to describing the notion and providing some specific examples. How Baudrillard can claim that the age of simulations represents a new, qualitatively distinct, stage of society is also exa…
Self-Reflective Rule-Following
This article is an investigation of the problem of how persons follow social rules. It begins by acknowledging the significance of the conception of rule-following and its relation to social order that Harold Garfinkel has developed. It is argued that this conception is much more descriptive of social reality than the one associated with Garfinkel's predecessor, Talcott Parsons. The study then goes on to depict how Alan Blum and Peter McHugh, whi…
La rebuffade
Blum Alan F., Foss Daniel, McHugh Peter, Raffel Stanley. La rebuffade. In: Communications, 20, 1973. Le sociologique et le linguistique. pp. 225-245
On the Beginning of Social Inquiry
Matters of Fact
Parental Uncertainty as Pain
Identity, self-reflection and the problem of validating standards
This article argues that the issue of identity- in the sense of coming to self-consciousness- is an important one for modem social theory. I begin the argument by suggesting how this issue is ignored by some influential recent theorists- to their cost. I then show that other significant recent theories are in some sense addressing the issue, albeit from widely different perspectives. After this introductory discussion of relevant literature, I of…
Revisiting Role Theory
This paper looks at some of the major texts in the history of role theory. The question that is asked is whether any of these works have been able to theorize the self adequately. It is suggested that neither Parsons nor Merton has any place for the self in their respective theories. While Goffman does make a space for the self, it is only a negative space. Even ethnomethodological theory cannot imagine a role player capable of self-expression. I…
On generosity
The article addresses the problem of how to theorize generosity. It argues that generosity is a matter of social actors orienting to standards and suggests, drawing on an analysis by Derrida, that while he too sees the necessity of standards, for him this leads to certain dilemmas as to how actors can actually accomplish generosity. How can actors display the fulsomeness generosity requires while still respecting standards or limits? An attempt i…
If Goffman Had Read Levinas
The article attempts to explore fundamental assumptions underlying Goffman's theory of interaction. Goffman's work has long been criticized for certain pervasive weaknesses such as the idea of a self as 'inside' and therefore inaccessible, an indifference to any distinction between appearance and reality, and a lack of concern for morality. It is argued that combating these and related problems necessitates uncovering the philosophical roots of G…
Imagination
Teaching Social Rules
The article presents one perspective on how children can be encouraged to develop moral judgement. The recalcitrance that Piaget encounters in his attempts to teach his own daughter a specific mundane rule provide a focus for much of the discussion. The differing impact of two separate strategies for conveying the point of rules, both on immediate behaviour and on long-term judgement, is assessed. A major conclusion concerns the need to modify di…
Baudrillard on Simulations
This paper is an attempt to explain, apply, and ultimately to point to certain limitations of, Baudrillard's idea that ours is the age of simulations. As the concept has not always been clearly discussed in the literature, early sections of the paper are devoted to describing the notion and providing some specific examples. How Baudrillard can claim that the age of simulations represents a new, qualitatively distinct, stage of society is also exa…
Parasites, principles and the problem of attachment to place
This article is concerned with exploring the idea of places as providing persons with nourishment. This version of person–place relations is displayed in a paper by McHugh and, in provocative fashion, in Michel Serres’s analysis of the human condition as a parasitic one. Unlike McHugh, Serres combines his analysis of parasites with a concern that principled actors may be insufficiently attached to places. His views are revealed in his interpretat…
Self-Reflective Rule-Following
This article is an investigation of the problem of how persons follow social rules. It begins by acknowledging the significance of the conception of rule-following and its relation to social order that Harold Garfinkel has developed. It is argued that this conception is much more descriptive of social reality than the one associated with Garfinkel's predecessor, Talcott Parsons. The study then goes on to depict how Alan Blum and Peter McHugh, whi…
Peter McHugh’s Late Work
Assessing a Revolution
This article seeks to develop the significance of the 1960s as a period of cultural revolution. Early Baudrillard is treated as the cultural revolution's equivalent to Marx. The idea of unproductive expenditure is seen as the era's central idea. having discussed, as does Baudrillard, typical 1960s' phenomena as examples of unproductive expenditure, the question of the eventual fate of the cultural revolution is explored. The article analyzes 1980…
The interplay of courage and reason in moral action
[[courageJürgen HabermasChristoph MenkemoralityPlatoreasonPeter Sloterdijk ]] This article argues that both courage and reason are necessary aspects of moral action. It begins by examining Plato’s changing conceptions of these two virtues, and, in particular, the settled view he arrives at in The Statesman. Sloterdijk’s recent attempt in his book advocating rage to appropriate this dialogue in order to criticize Habermas is then considered. I sug…
Understanding Each Other
The everyday life of the self
Erving Goffman's highly influential first book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, introduced the concept of impression management. In spite of the fact that the book has been subject to several cogent criticisms, notably by three major theorists in their own right, Gouldner, Garfinkel, and Habermas, its main thesis has shown remarkable resiliency. I try to suggest that this may be because both Goffman and his critics have their points. T…
Matters of Fact
Epistemology (15 works) · Philosophy (15 works) · Sociology (15 works) · Philosophy (10 works) · Computer Science (9 works) · Psychology (8 works) · Law (6 works) · Aesthetics (5 works) · Political science (5 works) · Law (4 works)