| Popis: |
Under the sway of the postulate of determinism, sociologists (with some exceptions) have given little direct attention to sheerly fortuitous events. Such events are analytically distinguishable from those which are considered the results of chance only because we currently lack knowledge of their causation. Exemplifications of pure chance abound in the various arts and sciences, including sociology (especially in work by symbolic interactionists). Direct, explicit consideration of random, accidental, or chance phenomena requires approaches that emphasize both the processes of behavior and interaction and the case-study method of investigation. Is chance a useful, appropriate sociological conception? Although relatively few sociologists have given attention to its impact on sociological phenomena, the concept of chance is exerting an increasing influence throughout the arts and sciences. Hence this paper aims to fill a lacuna in the literature on chance in sociology. Such literature has tended to define and treat the topic in terms that comport with an assumption of absolute determinism in the universe. Our paper, in contrast, directs attention to a conception, or form, of chance that challenges such determinism. In attempting this task, we discuss the nature of chance, its manifestations in various fields of knowledge, and its implications for sociology. |
