The Rise Of Western Rationalism

Western rationalism-nature, of course, and genesis-was Max Weber's dominant historical interest. It was the grand theme of his two world historical studies, Economy and Society and The Economic Ethics of the World Religions. His studies of the relationships among economy, polity, law, and religion are lasting scholarly achievements. In this book Wolfgang Schluchter presents the most systematic analysis and elaboration ever attempted of Weber's sociology as a developmental history of the West.

Western rationalism-nature, of course, and genesis-was Max Weber's dominant historical interest. It was the grand theme of his two world historical studies, Economy and Society and The Economic Ethics of the World Religions. His studies of the relationships among economy, polity, law, and religion are lasting scholarly achievements. In this book Wolfgang Schluchter presents the most systematic analysis and elaboration ever attempted of Weber's sociology as a developmental history of the West.

"Publication of this material in English should be a major event in American Weber studies. Together with Economy and Society, Weber's comparative studies in the sociology of religion represent not only his own central contribution to theoretical sociology, but also one of the most ambitious and fruitful research programs in the history of modern social theory. Schluchter analyzes both of these projects and shows how they are related. There is nothing in the Anglo-American literature on Weber's sociology of religion that can match the rigor and thoroughness of these essays. They should raise the standards of scholarly debate concerning both the general theoretical significance and the details of Weber's sociology of religion."--Guy Oakes, Monmouth University "There is next to nothing in the field of Weber interpretation that reaches the superior grasp and breadth of knowledge displayed in these essays. Exciting and illuminating, they should be essential reading for anyone interested in comparative religion and domination."--Thomas Burger, Southern Illinois University

After challenging the multicultural effort to “provincialize” the history of Western civilization, this book argues that the roots of the West’s exceptional creativity should be traced back to the uniquely aristocratic warlike culture of Indo-European speakers.