Person, subjectivity and agency – from the perspective of critical realism

ABSTRACT

The perspective of critical realism in the reflection on a ‘human being' excludes any constructivist or subjectivist concepts of the ‘black hole' of language. This seems essential, in philosophy and psychology, but also in sociology. My point of departure is Émile Durkheim's concept of homo duplex on the ground of realistic phenomenology (Roman Ingarden, Edith Stein). However, I believe that the problems require the perspective of critical realism. They find their resolution in Margaret Archer's concept of human being, which is the most outstanding theoretical thought of the contemporary humanities. This leads me to reflect on the sense of the concept of subjectivity, which gives the opportunity to grasp the sense of humanity in realistic terms. I am proposing a three-fold formula for subjectivity which leads beyond the important, but not the only dimension, which is that of agency. This approach may be useful in this time of civilizational crisis.

KEYWORDS:

• Person
• subjectivity
• agency
• personality
• critical realism
• horizon of reference

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Profanum means‘ profane, lacking respect for things that are sacred’.

2 emphasis added – KW.

3 As Archer refers to the reduction of the individual to the social (top-down conflation) or vice versa (bottom-up conflation) or both (central conflation).

4 M. S. Archer is not very fond of the term ‘man’: ‘Man’ and especially ‘rational man’ was the term current in Enlightenment thinking. […] I reluctantly abide with the term ‘man’, as standing for humanity, when referring to this tradition, its heirs, successors and adversaries.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Krzysztof Wielecki

Krzysztof Wielecki is a professor at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in the Institute of Sociology. He deals with the sociology of civilization, macrosociology, contemporary social theories, sociology of economy, social psychology and philosophical anthropology, develops the theory of subjectivity and mass culture; previously he was involved in: pedagogy, psychology, sociology of education and youth.