Simmel’s errors still stimulate more thought than others’ valid findings

Evidence

On the other hand, one finds oneself absolutely compelled to affirm that this mode of exposition is simply brilliant and, what is more important, attains results that are intrinsic to it and not to be attained by any imitator. Indeed, nearly every one of his works abounds in important new theoretical ideas and the most subtle observations. Almost every one of them belongs to those books in which not only the valid findings, but even the false ones, contain a wealth of stimulation for one’s own further thought, in comparison with which the majority of even the most estimable accomplishments of other scholars often appear to exude a peculiar odor of scantiness and poverty. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 115

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: Weber’s claim that a thinker’s very errors can out-stimulate other scholars’ valid results is a paradigm-level judgment about what intellectual worth really is — worth sitting with.
• SEED: Angle: ‘mistake-rich’ scholarship — which thinkers fail productively versus succeed sterilely, and how to court the former. Could serve the essay’s meta-commentary on why Simmel’s loose analogies are analytically generative for urban sociology.
• XREF: connects to: Simmel reads human experience as creative, fragmented, conflictual, and individualistic — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 86; Weber found Simmel’s methodology and results fundamentally flawed — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 114; Simmel advanced technical sociology mainly as a byproduct of metaphysical concerns — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 117 (+1 more)

Related

• Weber found Simmel’s methodology and results fundamentally flawed (similarity 0.85)
• Weber’s methodology and theory of rationalization drew directly from Simmel (similarity 0.83)
• Simmel advanced technical sociology mainly as a byproduct of metaphysical concerns (similarity 0.81)
• Weber withheld criticism of Simmel to protect his job prospects (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Rigorous methods reveal narrower slices of reality #corroborates (0.72)
• Weber found Simmel’s methodology and results fundamentally flawed #corroborates (0.60) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 114
• Simmel advanced technical sociology mainly as a byproduct of metaphysical concerns #expands (0.45) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 117