Sociology as an Art Form [Paperback]

In this excellent little work, Nisbet explains how sociology (and other disciplines) resembles art. For example, consider the "classes" that make up Marxian thought, or the themes in Tocqueville's works. In many ways they resemble the characters in a Dickens novel. Just as Dickens' characters were meant to be "exemplars" of a certain type, Marx, Weber and other sociologists describe their "types" with artistic imagery. Nisbet has a fascinating chapter in which he shows how many scientists have conceived their work in artistic terms. There is an aspect of creativity that can't be reduced simply to experiments and statistics. Nisbet relies, in part, on the ideas of Thomas Kuhn. (While I don't agree with Kuhnian relativism (if that's what he in fact taught), his insights have a certain validity as a description of how science operates.) Nisbet makes the interesting observation that while scientists and artists tend to work alone or in small groups, government wages "war" on cancer, poverty, or whatever. These government programs are generally less than successful and probably stifle progress.

Nisbet was, strictly speaking, a sociologist. However, his work encompasses what might be called the "history of ideas." Even if your interest is neither sociology nor art, you should read this book. This edition also contains an excellent introduction by Paul Gottfried.