Social relations can be analyzed purely as formal configurations

Evidence

Yet from the sociological viewpoint, we are interested only in such questions as: How do the various phases of super-ordination and subordination follow one another? To what extent is superordination in a given relation compatible with co-ordination in other relations? How much superordination is required in the initial phase of the relation to destroy co-ordination completely? — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 208

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Sociology’s proper object is the forms relating two or more individuals — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 154; Sociology relates to social sciences as geometry relates to physics. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 45; Social forms must be abstracted from many historical instances — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 60 (+15 more)

Related

• Sociology’s proper object is the forms relating two or more individuals (similarity 0.90)
• Sociology relates to social sciences as geometry relates to physics. (similarity 0.86)
• Human essence is the ensemble of social relations, not an individual abstraction (similarity 0.86)
• Any social group can act as individual or aggregate depending on its relational frame. (similarity 0.86)
• A science of society must study only forms of interaction (similarity 0.85)
• The formal content distinction in sociology can only be illustrated, not yet defined (similarity 0.85)
• Sociology studies abstract forms of interaction as geometry studies spatial forms (similarity 0.85)
• Sociology treats psychological processes only as carriers of social forms (similarity 0.83)
• Weberian ideal-types allow analysis of multiple competing market relations beyond a single ruling class. (similarity 0.82)
• Enlightenment-based sociology fragments because theories depend on observers’ beliefs about human nature (similarity 0.82)
• Social relations are constituted through mediating processes (similarity 0.81)
• International relations logically follow domestic social-structural changes (similarity 0.81)
• Society names both actual human networks and the abstract forms of sociality (similarity 0.81)
• Sociology is one method among many, not a master science (similarity 0.81)
• Social relations are essentially structures of everyday knowledge (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• Social relations reduce to structures of knowledge in Schutz’s extreme sociology #corroborates (0.70)
• Lévi-Strauss’s deep structure decouples meaning from observable social relations #expands (0.65)
• Society names both actual human networks and the abstract forms of sociality #qualifies (0.60) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 896