SOCIAL INSTITUTION: GENERAL HORIZONS OF PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The tradition of the “social institution” phenomenon studying distinguishes the following directions of its interpretation: classical structuralism, which absolutizes the role of impersonal social structures; actionism, which is based on the priority of the life activity of subjects of social dynamics; discursive institutionalism, which combines the project of communicative society of Y. Habermas and social constructivism of J. Searle. The following components shape the social institution functionality. First, social institution produces fairly accurate criteria for acceptable and unacceptable behavior of individuals. Therefore, it is appropriate to note, if not constitutional, then regulating influence of social institutions on values, culture, morality, law, traditions, and rituals of society. Secondly, social institutions produce stable samples of hermeneutic practices, which become the primary source for interpreting the behavior of others and create prerequisites for reflection and self-analysis. And thirdly, such regulation of social life not only sets certain limits and restrictions, but also shapes the prerequisites for mechanisms of shaping meaning and highlighting the integrity of phenomena.