<論文>集合的理想とコミュニケーション空間 : デュルケームの人格崇拝の議論から

Abstract

In his early work, De la division du travail social, Durkheim argues that the cult of the dignity of human personality will be a 'collective faith' in modern society. We would like to examine further this suggestive argument, which expands in his later writings so that we can find a clue to see more clearly difficulties which have been faced by endeavors to establish dignity of human personality as foundation of our societies. Durkheim insists that the cult of dignity of human personality will be the only 'religion' that can assure social solidarity of members of modern society, because in modern society where the division of labor is highly developping there must be nothing in common except the fact that each of them is human being and possesses the human personality, which is supposed to belong to all. In his final work, Les Formes elementaires de la vie religieuse, Durkheim argues that the very source of religion consists in the emotion of unity that members of the group experience in the communion in collective effervescence, in the course of which the sacred symbol system, religion, can be formed. From this point of view, the new 'religion', that is, the cult of dignity of human personality, will be formed in the coming effervescence which Durkheim anticipates in the conclusion of this book. This argument should be questioned on two points. The reflexive conscience, which enables one to be autonomic and make free examination, and becomes more and more important in modern societies, seems to be incompatible with the religion formed in collective effervescence. Because such a religious system, as Durkheim himself writes, can come into existence only when they are not aware of themselves: the process in which the sacred symbols are constructed. The emotion that Durkheim considers as the source of religion contains the sentiments that distinguish 'us' from others, therefore, it is contradictory to the principle of dignity of human personality. So we should look for another source of religious emotion for the new 'religion' somewhere out of collective effervescence, out of Durkheim's theory.