Durkheim's theory of religion as theory of culture

Abstract

Durkheim's interpretation of totemism as the most elementary religion, on whose foundation he draws a conclusion from religion in general, was exposed to numerous critiques, although the critics concede the stimulative power of Durkheim’s ideas. In this paper on the basis of these stimuli the author tries to interpret Durkheim’s theory of religion as a theory of culture. Following Durkheim's argumentation according to which religion is the basis of all social institutions, because its origin is in collective awareness, the author tries to transfer Durkheim's categorical pair sacred- prolane, which happens to be crucial in his definition of religion, into the categorical pair culture-nature, thus suggesting social foundations of cultural creativity. Il is particularly emphasized in Durkheim's theory of person, whereas the person is a constituent of two factors. The first one is the body which makes possible the individualization, but the soul as a collective principle, has the determinative importance in constitution o f the concept of a person.