Weber in Singapore :: essays research papers

Imagine that Max Weber has been resurrected and is on a visit to Singapore. How would he interpret the various facets of Singapore society in relation to his theories and medical prognosis well-nigh the future of modern society?As we begin the twenty-first century, there is a growing recognition that Max Weber is our fore about well-disposed theorist of the condition of modernity. His pre-eminence stems from the scope, the depth, and the intensity, which he brought to this project. In short, Weber sought to explain the place of the modern soul in the world. Behind this deceptively simple foundation, fructify a gigantic enterprise. Precisely so then, the beginning of this essay is devoted to underlining and illustrating the principal themes of Webers sociological investigations, especially those that would be used in interpreting the various facets of Singapore society. Next, this essay attempts to show how a resurrected Weber would interpret the various facets of Singapore socie ty in relation to his theories and prognosis about the future of modern society. The concluding part offers criticisms, if any, and asks the importance of Weber in this modern age.Weber, it is often said, conceived of sociology as a comprehensive science of social action. As such, Weber distinguishes between four major types of social action. In zweck judicious action, or action in relation to a goal, the individual rationally assesses the means to impinge on a particular goal. An engineer who builds a bridge as the most efficient way to cross a river often exemplifies it in the literature. A to a greater extent relevant example would be the modern goal of material sought after by many young people today. Many recognize that the most efficient way to attain that success is by means of higher education, and so they flock to the universities in order to get a good job. Wertrational action, or rational action in relation to a value, is characterized by striving for a goal which in it self may not be rational, but which is pursued through rational means. The traditional example would be the brave captain who goes down with his ship. More relevant then is a person who attends the university because he or she set the life of the mind a value that was instilled in them by parents, previous teachers, or chance encounter. Affective action is anchored in the emotional state of the individual rather than in the rational weighing of means and ends.