Das kollektive Bewusstsein zwischen Positivismus und Kritischer Schule. Adornos Durkheim-Kritik

Even if Durkheim has received wide intercultural acknowledgement as a theoretician of modern sociology, one of his main concepts, the doctrine of collective consciousness, has been severely criticized by Adorno. To the extent, his reading provides evidence of diametrical methodical thinking and of clashing conviction. Nevertheless, there are several arguments which speak in favor of Durkheim: (i) his empirical foundation in connection with the lifelong attempt to provide consciousness a standing on this secondary collective balance; (ii) his awareness of the scaling of representations between distinctive fusion and broader aggregation; (iii) his succinct understanding of their interconnectedness to societal relationships; (iv) his orientation towards non-individualism and polarity. In particular under this aspect one can observe a failure of Adorno himself, merging the dialectical approach with polarity.