Social Entropy Theory

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Social Entropy Theory

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Kenneth D. Bailey - Author

Price: $56.50
Hardcover - 310 pages

Release Date: February 1990

ISBN10: 0-7914-0056-5
ISBN13: 978-0-7914-0056-2

Price: $29.95
Paperback - 310 pages

Release Date: January 1990

ISBN10: 0-7914-0057-3
ISBN13: 978-0-7914-0057-9

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Summary

Social Entropy Theory illuminates the fundamental problems of societal analysis with a nonequilibrium approach, a new frame of reference built upon contemporary macrological principles, including general systems theory and information theory. Social entropy theory, using Shannon's H and the entropy concept, avoids the common (and often artificial) separation of theory and method in sociology. The hallmark of the volume is integration, as seen in the author's interdisciplinary discussions of equilibrium, entropy, and homeostasis. Unique features of the book are the introduction of the three-level model of social measurement, the theory of allocation, the concepts of global-mutable-immutable, discussion of order and power, and a large set of testable hypotheses.

"A powerful and insightful general theory of society which resolves several well-known problems with past efforts." -- Joseph Woelfel, State University of New York, Albany

"While specialized approaches do not have any way to indicate what is not being studied, an integrative approach such as Social Entropy Theory fills the critical role of illuminating gaps and inconsistencies in existing theory because it deals with the entire society, including those parts of it which narrower theories may not have specifically addressed. I think this is an important scholarly contribution. There is nothing else like it, and it dealswith a very significant issue." -- James Grier Miller, University of California, San Diego

Kenneth D. Bailey is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

Preface

1. Contructing a Theory of Complex Society

The Direct Strategy
Relation to other Formulations

The Relation of SET to Middle-Range and Micro Theory
The Relation of SET to General or Macro Formulations

Plan of the Chapters

2. The Isomorphic Concrete Systems Model

Beyond Functionalism

Functionalism
General Systems Theory

The Challenges
Meeting the Challenges
The Isomorphic Concrete Systems Model
Epistemology

Isomorphism
The Two-Level Model
Anomalies in the Two-Level Model

The Three-Level Model

Extensions of the Three-Level Model

Abstracted Versus Concrete Sociological Theory
The Complex Isomorphic Systems Model (X")

Holistic Model Adequacy

3. Social Entropy

The History of Social Equilibrium

Thermodynamic Equilibrium and Entropy
Nonthermodynamic Physical Equilibrium and Entropy
The Spencerian Dilemma
First Principles
Pareto
Equilibrium between Pareto and Parsons
Parsons

Moving Equilibrium
Equilibrium as an Analytic Device
Homeostasis
Summarizing the Breadth of Parsons' Equilibrium Concept

The History of Social Entropy

Prigogine
Use of Entropy
Statistical Formulations
Entropy in General Systems Theory
Verbal Formulations of Social Entropy
Evaluating the Literature on Social Entropy

4. Macrosociology

Key Societal Variables

Global Properties
Spatial Area (Expansion of Boundaries)
Population Size
Level of Living
Technology
Organization
Information
Distributional (Analytical) Measurement

Interrelationships among Variables

Global Measurement
Distributions

Exhaustiveness
Control
Internal Versus External Relationships

Internal Relationships
Open Boundaries

Summary

5. The Individual in Complex Society

Sorokin's Ten-Dimensional Structure
The Mutable Distributions
The Immutable Variables
Allocation Theory

Global Constraints
Change in Mutable Distribution Structure
Relevant Theories
Overview
Organization
Technology
Space
Information
Level of Living

Expectations and Goals

Summary

6. Organizations

Organizational Formation

Divisive Grouping Processes
Agglomerative Grouping Processes

Boundaries

Boundary Formation
Membership Boundaries
Outreach
Summary

Entropy and Information in Organizations
Multiple Membership
Concluding Remarks

7. The Central Problem of Social Order

Introduction
Social Order

Two Types of Order
Q- and R- Relationships

The Holistic Model of Social Order

Category Theory
Effect of Symbolic Structure on Action
Why Actions Are Replicated
Summary

Order and the Three Level Model

The Synchronic Nature of Markers
Markers and Mutables

Power and Conflict

Expectations and Power
Mutables and Conflict
Immutables and Conflict
Entropy and Inequality

Concluding Remarks

8. Statistical Entropy

Probabilistic Entropy

Number of Categories

Type B Mapping
Type C Mapping
The Marker (X") Level

Sample Size
Sampling Distribution

Relationship of Categorical Entropy to Continuous Variables

Categorical and Continuous Entropy
Continuous Entropy

Measuring Inequality

Continuous
Decomposition
Categorical Income Data
Measures of Population Diversity
Proportional Reduction in Error
Summary

9. Reflections and Hypotheses

Reflections

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Hypotheses

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Concluding Remarks

References
Author Index
Subject Index

Related Subjects

Sociology

25244/24720(RR//)