Kritische sociologie

Samenvatting

H. Hoefnagel's book Kritische Sociologie ([Critical Sociology], Samson, 1974) is criticized. The book begins with a series of introductory lectures. The author refuses to present his criticisms of the Frankfurt school systematically on the grounds that the lectures are directed at students simultaneously critical & impervious to reasonable argument. He claims to give a mere exposition of the thought of the Frankfurt school, limiting it to one thinker, T. Adorno, to the exclusion of Horkheimer & J. Habermas. Furthermore, he neglects the later work of Adorno. An atomistic viewpoint is ascribed to Hoefnagel according to which the good -- ie, social -- life can be (easily) derived by all reasonable creatures. He is also said to confuse natural laws & phenomena; the first are unchanging, unlike the latter. He concludes, however, that because social phenomena change they cannot be the subject of laws. In a reply, "Repliek van H. Hoefnagels" (Reply by H. Hoefnagel) Hoefnagel answers that he does not contest the possibility of sociological laws. He claims to be more related to Hegel than to Aquinas. The importance of Adorno is said to justify consideration given him in a small book. The Frankfurt school is criticized for leading toward utopianism & for neglecting actual sociopolitical struggles. In a final comment, "Nawoord van A. Brand" (Final Comment by A. Brand) A. Brand replies that Hoefnagel adopts uncritically the concept of man embraced by present culture. He insists that there is a strong parallel between Hoefnagel & Aquinas. A. Orianne.