Social reality

Social reality is a specific way of understanding the world. It is not the same as material reality. Material reality includes physical things like trees or rocks. Social reality consists of the shared ideas and rules of a community. These include laws and social representations. It is a perspective created through social interaction. This means it goes beyond the motives of just one person. It is a shared experience that exists between people.

Philosophers and sociologists have studied this concept for a long time. Alfred Schütz used the term "social world" to describe this level of reality. He believed there were two parts to this world. One part is the social reality we experience directly. This is called the "umwelt." The other part is a social reality beyond our immediate view. We can experience this second part if we seek it out.

Other thinkers have used different terms to explain this idea. In 1876, Herbert Spencer used the term "super-organic." He used this to show that the social level is above biology and psychology. Émile Durkheim spoke about the "social kingdom." He argued that in this kingdom, ideas are the primary reality. These thinkers helped define how society functions as its own system.

John Searle provides a detailed look at how this works through language. He uses the theory of speech acts to explain institutional reality. This includes things like marriage, property, and governments. It also includes things like taxes, lawyers, and universities. Searle argues that language is the key to this process. Language creates symbols that everyone in a community accepts. These facts persist through time even if individuals change.

Searle explains that these institutional facts create a multi-layered reality. They work together in systematic relationships. For example, governments, corporations, and churches all interact. This creates an invisible structure that permeates our lives. This structure is massive and pervasive. It exists even when we do not notice it. It shapes how we live every day.

There is a major debate about how this reality is built. Some believe it exists independently of people. Others believe in "social constructionism." This view says reality is created by ongoing human interaction. Peter L. Berger described this as a three-step process. The first step is externalization. The second step is objectivation. The third step is internalization.

Psychologists also look at how people enter this social world. Sigmund Freud studied how children learn social rules. He connected this to the "super-ego," which acts as a conscience. Jacques Lacan called this the "Symbolic Order." He said this process brings the kingdom of culture into the kingdom of nature. This transition moves power from the individual to the "Other."

Finally, social reality can be studied through the concept of trust. Francis Fukuyama describes trust as part of a community's "social capital." This idea connects social reality to economics. Scientists try to measure trust to understand how strong a community is. This helps us see how social reality supports the way we live and work together.