The Phenomenology of the Social World, published in 1932, established a philosophical framework for the social sciences by bridging the gap between Edmund Husserl’s phenomenology and Max Weber’s interpretive sociology. Alfred Schütz spent his career navigating the tension between these rigorous intellectual traditions while balancing a professional life in finance, ultimately influencing modern sociology from his base at The New School.
Early Life and War Service
Born in Vienna in 1899, Schütz was the only child of an upper-middle-class Jewish family. His early adulthood was interrupted by World War I, during which he served as an officer in the Austrian Army on the Italian front. This experience, followed by the economic devastation of post-war Vienna, deeply influenced his later interest in how individuals construct meaning within complex social environments.
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Schütz earned a law degree from the University of Vienna and attended lectures by Max Weber. Despite his scholarly aptitude, he pursued a career in international banking to ensure financial stability, serving as chief financial officer for Reitler and Company. Edmund Husserl once described this dual existence, noting that Schütz worked as a banker by day and a philosopher by night. In 1938, political instability in Europe forced his relocation to Paris, followed by his move to the United States in 1939.
The Social World and Intersubjectivity
At The New School in New York City, Schütz focused on the lifeworld, examining how individuals perceive reality under the constraints of inherited social structures. He argued that social science requires an analysis of the natural attitude—the everyday assumptions that guide human perception. His work utilized Husserlian bracketing to move beyond traditional ideal-type analysis. Central to his research was the concept of intersubjectivity, exploring how people grasp the consciousness of others while inhabiting their own distinct streams of thought.
Conceptual Debates and Legacy
Schütz engaged in significant theoretical exchanges with Harvard scholar Talcott Parsons, specifically regarding the definition of social action. These discussions revealed fundamental differences in their orientations toward social scientific inquiry. Following his death in 1959, his influence continued through the publication of his Collected Papers. Students such as Thomas Luckmann and Peter L. Berger furthered his theories, incorporating them into fields such as the social construction of reality and ethnomethodology.
Fast facts
- Born: 1899, Vienna
- Died: 1959, New York City
- Education: University of Vienna
- Primary Field: Phenomenology
- Key Employer: The New School
- Military Rank: Second lieutenant equivalent
- Languages: German, English
- Citizenship: Austria, United States
Questions readers ask
How did Schütz balance banking and philosophy?
He pursued his academic research and writing in his spare time while maintaining a full-time position as an international lawyer and banker.
What was the main focus of his philosophy?
His work centered on the philosophical foundations of the social sciences, specifically how individuals construct social reality and understand the consciousness of others.
Achievements
- Held posts at The New School
- Fields: phenomenology
