https://doi.org/10.31648/hip.498
According to Max Weber, the movement occurring in the Western world towards a continuous rationalization of existence resulted in a gradual particularization of different spheres of social activity. This article examines the causes at work in the autonomization of these various spheres and the reasons for their gradual conflicting with each other. Unlike conventional interpretations of Weber’s work which give interest a predominant role, we would like to show that values are first and foremost at the core of this dynamic. The withdrawal of religious values from the public sphere led people to be more aware of the choices that must be made between different systems of value. In Weber’s thinking, values are not to be understood as ethical. They are rather seen as principles underlying the orientation of action and reflection; in this regard, they play a role comparable to that of the axioms in the field of mathematics. The emergence of systems of values specific to a sphere of social activity can only be understood as the result of the interaction of individuals in this particular sphere. By consciously directing their actions based on the actions of the other, individuals collectively determine “what is worth”, thus producing values which then contribute to selecting interests whereby the agent consciously directs his action. This interpretation emphasizes the oft-neglected impact of Simmel’s thought on Weber’s work.
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