Karl Mannheim
Hungarian-British sociologist who examined ideology, utopias, and the relation between thought and social existence.
Most quoted
"The principal thesis of the sociology of knowledge is that there are modes of thought which cannot be adequately understood as long as their social origins are obscured."
— from Ideology and Utopia, 1929
"The complete elimination of the perspectivistic element in knowledge, together with the factors which condition it, is a Utopian rather than a scientific ideal."
— from Ideology and Utopia, 1929
"The sociology of knowledge does not deny the possibility of acquiring knowledge, but rather seeks to understand the conditions under which it is acquired."
— from Ideology and Utopia, 1929
All quotes by Karl Mannheim (101)
In times of crisis, the role of the intellectual becomes pivotal in shaping public opinion.
Modern society demands a new type of planning that integrates knowledge and action.
The democratization of culture is essential for a healthy society.
Education must prepare individuals for social responsibility, not just individual success.
The crisis of our time is a crisis of valuation.
Intellectuals must transcend their class origins to achieve true objectivity.
The sociology of knowledge reveals how thought is socially determined.
Utopias are the driving force behind historical change.
In a planned society, freedom is not abolished but redefined.
The family is the primary agent of socialization in modern society.
Knowledge is a function of the social process.
The intellectual's role is to mediate between conflicting social forces.
Relativism in sociology does not lead to nihilism but to deeper understanding.
Modern mass society requires new forms of democratic control.
The meaning of life is found in social participation.
Ideologies serve to legitimize the status quo.
The sociology of knowledge is the key to understanding historical epochs.
In exile, one learns the true value of cultural roots.
Planning is not totalitarianism; it is the path to rational freedom.
The artist in society reflects the tensions of the age.
Contemporaries of Karl Mannheim
Other Sociologys born within 50 years of Karl Mannheim (1893–1947).