Page 164 - DSOC401_SOCIOLOGICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Sociological Thought

notes characteristics of Logical actions

1. Logical action is related to causation. Any action becomes logical only when there is causation
behind it. Logical action is not emotionality inevitably. It is in mathematical manner— two
plus two is four. It is not that the two and two, four rupees given by his father would become
five for his son and three for another person. This number is four every time. Pareto says
it as Logic.
2. There is adjustment among subjective and objective standards. Human thinks something,
society something else, logical activity can’t be made by it. Adjustment among subjective
and objective standards is very must for Logical Activity.

Task What are the Characteristics of Logical Actions? Explain briefly.

objective and subjective norms

Not only Pareto but most of the Sociologists after Pareto has also spoken up about deep relation among
subjectivity and objectivity in Logical Activity. Raymond Erin has kept the interpretation of Pareto in
which he does a healthy discussion over the standards of both the types. These two ideas of Activity
are mandatory to understand the Logical-Action and Non-logical Action. You should understand it
few. When human does activity there are few things in his mind about activity. There are attitudes in
human’s mind. He does somewhat activities in his mind even in unconscious state also. Pareto says it
as State of Mind. Pareto talks about Subjective standards that there was a very big duality in that era.
Few thinkers did not want to differentiate sociology with psychology. When Waber made the ideal
types of actions then he said that action is something which the person defines itself. He kept the role
of psychology here. Pareto when talks about Subjective Activity it is clear that there is a thought of
mental situation of human in his mind.
There is also an objective situation in front of human. He can’t shut his eyes from subjectivity. If we talk
about last illustration the dream of becoming a millionaire of anyone, is not wrong. Subjectivity also
accepts it. Society want that people should become rich. But when subjectivity diverts it’s face from
the objectivity then social arrangement get destroyed. Stealing, robbery don’t make social accepted
millionaire to anyone. Pareto says that rational activity will be happened only when there will be an
adjustment among subjectivity and objectivity.
We will give here the table given by Raymond Erin, which tells the adjustment among subjectivity
and objectivity –
Objectivity No No Yes Yes
Subjectivity No Yes No Yes
Let us understand this table. The place where ‘No’ ‘No’ series is given means that activity is not logical.
It means that neither mean are added with ends in reality nor the adjustment of ends in human’s
mind. ‘No’ ‘No’ series doesn’t come into use in reality. A man is prudent he thinks and so ‘No’ ‘No’
situation doesn’t come in practical life.
Now let us take the second series. In this objectivity says ‘No’ to human actions but says ‘Yes’ to the
basis of subjectivity. In increasing society now a big part of population wants to get everything after
ignoring objectivity. He wants to be a big officer, wants to be a high class professor and to get these
he accepts the ways objectivity doesn’t permit those ways. It is also not a rational activity.

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