ON THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE. 4 AR, RADCLIFFE-MROWN dar ben gested th thems hh Emde on De Ler pape wien sel psPtsaen ese coma i trnt o ‘rsa fee ny abc Sct, eve me be Mma ni he hk of {ny amen acta” Dr Lew eee th gar arela. T ‘rae hime hpi a tt he at tt on Soedene “nc in te ame wey Dr Lei tc siemens Lao et SHE concept of funetion applid to human societies based on an analogy between socal fe and organic lle. The recognition of the snslogy and of some of is important implications f atleast aa dd Protagoras and Plato, Inthe nineteenth century the analogy, the concept ‘of functlo, ad the word itself appear frequently in social pilosphy and Sociology, So far a6 T know the fest spstomati formulation of the conept ‘3 appling to the stiely siete study of society was that of Emile Dore fn 1995, ‘Durkhein’s deiition is tht the “Yoneton” ofa soci institution the correspondence between it and the needs of the socal organi, This ‘etniton requlres some elaboration. Inthe fist place, to e¥oid possible ambiguity and in particular the pouty of «teleological Interpretation, would lke to substitute fr the term “aceds” the term “necomaty con Ain of existence,” orf the term need” fe toe norte ‘only inthis sence. It may here be nod a8 a pols to be retaraed to, that Any attempt to apply this conept of function in socal scenceinvuves the assumption tht there ove necesscy conditions of existence for human societies just as there are fr animal organisms, and that they canbe de ‘covered by the proper kind of enti engl. For the further elueidation of the concep it x convenient tose the analogy between social life and organic Ie. Like all analogies it has ta be ‘sed with cate. An animal orunm i an aglomeration of exile and ine {erst aids arranged in relation to one another not stab aggregate but 6 an integrated whole. For the bo-chemist, i isu sompleny integrated system of compler molecules. The system of relations by which these "Rig ea tate Sei.sscunreatows] CONCEPT OF FUNCTION BY SOCIAL SCIENCE 8 units are related the organi stractare, As the terms are here os ‘he empaniam fe not Haelf the structure; His.acoletion of unite (ells ‘or moleeles) arranged in structure, ina se of elatons; the organ Tem har a structure. Two mature animals of the same species and sex ‘consist of similar units combined in a simlar structure. The structure i thus to be dsined ax set ofreations between the entities. (The stuctre ‘ofa cel iin the same way a set of relations between complex molecule, fad the structure of an stom sof rations between elerions and pro: tons) AB long ae It Ives the organism preserves certain continaly of structure although it does ao preserve the complete identity of is eon tue parts Te loses some of ts constituent molecales by expiration oF txereton; it takes in others by respiration and alimentary absoepllon ‘Over a period its constituent eels do not remain the sme, But the srve= feral arrangement ofthe constituent units does enisin sina, The process by which this stractural continuity of the orgasim is maintained felled le The ie-proces consists of the activities and interactions of the con- stent unite of the onganim, the cell, and the organs into which the felleare united, ‘A the word funtion here being wsed the lie of am organism i eon: ceived asthe functioning of its stracture. Tes throwgh an by the cone ‘insty ofthe funtioning thatthe continuity ofthe stuctue ls preserved, If we conser any recurrent part of the hleproces, such a8 respiration, Aigestion, et, ts famcion isthe part it plays I, the contribution it makes to, the life ofthe organiom as whole. As the terms are ere being sed & cello an organ hasan ay and that activity has e function. Tis tue that we commonly speak of the secretion of gas Rukd x “fencion”™ tthe stomach, As the words ae here ord we should say that this sa “activity” of the stomach, the “function” of which Isto change the pro- ‘cine of food into a form in which thse are absorbed and distributed by the blood tothe tissues We may note thatthe Function ofa recurrent Physiological process is thus correspondence between it and the ned (Ge, necessary conditions of existence of the organism. ite set ut upon systematic investigation ofthe nature of organist tnd organie life there are thee sets of problems presented to ws. (There fe, in addon, certain other sets of problems concerning aspects or ehat- ‘etree of organi ile wth which we are not here concerned) One it hens oh pec fom fem le oly rte ste lhe tly shasta: en tin ot oft er acon ic ode6 AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST bos ar 1985 that of morbology—hat kinds of organi stricture are there, what Smilies and variations do they show, and how can they be essed? Second are the problems of phyilogy—hov, in general, do organic struc- ‘ures funeton, what, therefor, i the nature of the lie-proces? Thi are the problems of development=-how do new types of engaiams come into cexintence? "To urn from organi life to social fe, if we examine such 8 community ‘stan Alrcan or Australlan tee we en rcoglae the existence of acca Structure. Individual human rings, the esental units in tis instance, fre connected hy a defiite sel of sca ratons ito an integrated whole The continnty ofthe socal structure, like that of an ongaie structure, sot destroyed by changes inthe units. Individuals may leave the society, by death or otherwise; other may enter it. The continuity of stractare fe ‘maintained by the proces of social Ife, which consists of the activities and interactions of the individual area beings aod ofthe organi groupe into which they ae united. The sca life ofthe community is hee defined As the functioning of the social structure. The fonction of any recurrent ‘tivity such asthe punishment of were, ora funeral ceremony, i the part plays in the socal He asa whole and therefor the comtution It sakes tothe maintenance ofthe stractralcotinity. ‘The concept of function se here defined thus involves the notion of stemtre coating ef of reales mong wiles, the condi ofthe structure being maintained by aie process made wp of the aces, ‘ofthe convent units. 1, with thee concepts in mind, we set out ona systematic investigation of the natureofhuman society and of soca life we find presented tous three fetzof problems. Fit, the problems of soil morpbolory—what Kids of foci structures are there, what are thelr simlariis and ferences, how fre they to beclasied? Second, the problems of social physology--how fo social structures function? Third, the problems of development—how ‘ho ne types of social structure come into existence? ‘Two important points where the analogy between organkm and society ‘yeahs down mst be noted. Tn an animal organism iis posible to observe the organic structoe oa lange extent independently of is funetioning. Tk Is therefore pose to make a morphology which sindependent of phyviol- logy. But in human society the soil structure as 2 whole cab only be breed in its funetioning, Some of the features of social structure, auch 45 the geographical dstrbetion of individuals and groups ean be directly observed, but most ofthe socal lations which in their totality onsite the structure, such as relations of father aod son, buyer and seer rulerapd subject, eannot be observed except in the sical activites in which the relations are fontioning Tfollows that a soil morphology eansot be ‘Stablished independently ofa socal physiology. The second pont is that an animal organs doesnot, in the couse of tf, change is structaral type A pig does nt become & hippopotames (The development of the animal from germination to maturity is not 8 change o type since the process all its stage atypical forthe species) ‘On the cther hand society in the courte of ts stony can and does change ite structural type without any’ breach of continu Ty the definton here offered "inetion” isthe contribution which & partial activity males to Ue ctl etvty of which tis a art. The func. tion of « parce socal nage isthe contribution it makes tothe total fovkal ies the fancttoning ofthe total soll system, Such «view implies Uthat social system (Che total social strctur of a soeety together with the totality of social usage, in which that structure appears and on which ik depends for its continsed existence) has a certain kind of unity, which ‘ve may speak of asa functional unity. We may define it asa condition in ‘hich all pars ofthe socal system work together with asuilent degree Gf harmony or Internal consistency, ie, without producing persistent eon its which ean neither be resolved or regulated ‘This idea of the functional unity of soil system is, of course = Inypathesis. But it oe which, tothe functionalist it seems worth While to test by systematic examination of the facts, “There another aspect of functional theory that should be biel ‘mentioned. Toretura tothe analogy of vocal fend organi ie, we recog ‘se that an organisa tay function moe oles ficiently and ao we et "up specil science of pathology to deal with all phenomena of dsfuntion. Weedstingulsh nan arganim what we call heath and disease. The Greeks ofthe th eentary H.C. thought that one night apply the same nation to Society, to the cty-stae, distinguishing conditions of eanomia, good or ‘ocil ealth, (rom dyonamio, duoede, socal I-belth. Inthe inetenth ‘century Durkheim, in hi aplication of the notion of function, sought to Jay the basis for a selentife socal patology, based on a morphology and a physiology! In his works, paricolaly those on suid and on the division ff Ibor, e attempted to ind objective criteria by which to judge whether "ines ied nl nf aa ate rT Puc what is recalled domi Dari sed the term aoe (onde in French. This ma! agp Hah tn ean od ano teiloe AMERICAN ANTUROPOLDGIST Iw 537, 1985 ‘given society ata given time is normal or pathological, eanomie ot dys: For example he ed to show thatthe incresae of thereof sulcide in many countries during par ofthe nineteenth century is symptomatic of 4 dysnomic or, in his terminology, anomie, social condition. Probably there is no sociologist who would had that Durkheim realy succeoded in esta Tshing an objective bai fora science of socal pathology ® ‘in relation to organic structures we ean fn strictly objective etna by which to distinguish daca from heath, pathological from normal, for lisesi that which either Uhreatns the argansm with death (the disai= ‘om ofits structure) or interferes withthe activities which ae charsctersic of the organic type. Societies donot de Inthe same seve that animals die tnd therefore we cannot define dysnomiaas that which lee, unchecked, to the death ofa society. Further society des from a organisa i that Itean change its streturel type or ean be absorbed as an integral pat of ‘larger socety. Therefore we cannot define dysnomia as dstusbance of {he usual activites of weal type (as Durem ted todo) ‘Let us return fora moment tothe Greeks They conceived the health ‘fan organism and the eunomia of society a being in each instance acon ‘ition of the harmonious worklng together of ts parts® Now this where saciety is concerned, is the same thing as what was considered abuve a8 Ue functional unity or inner consiteney of sca system, and i rs ested that for the degre of fonction nity of «partial soley it may De possible to etablish a purely objective erteron.Admitedly this annot ‘bedoneat present; but the science af human rciety fea yeti ts extreme Jnfancy. So that it may be that we should say that wean organism that Isattacked by avirulent disease wil act Uhre, and, its resetion falls, il diy a society that i thrown into condition of unetional duality of inconsistency (lor this we now provisionally Kdeatty with dynam) mil rot di, except in such comparatively rare instances av an Australian tbe ‘overwhelmed by the white man’s destructive force, but will continue fo ‘truggle toward some sort of eusomia some Kind of socal health, and tay, inthe course ofthis, change estructural type. This proces, t seems BC “functionalist” has ample opportuniis of berving atthe present day, in native peoples subjected tothe domination ofthe evized natn, nd in those malons themselves!" ros ponte with time Re Lao (La te Sociale de buen, 15, Ch TV) on Dt gr ter fl patil, with te etme of Dub eto mee hy Tama es rt Se “Sefer eampls he Fareh Bk of ha Rep "To vil minmienaning spa soo oor in thei‘ocurreatons| CONCEPT OF FUNCTION IN SoctAt SCIENCE a9 Space wil not allow a discussion hee of another aspect of functional ‘heory, vi the question whether change of soil type iso ok depen ‘ent on Fanetion Le, onthe laws of social physiology. My own view ie that Uereissuch a dependence and that tsnatue can be studi athe develop ‘ment of the legal and poltial institutions, the economic systems and the religions of Europe through the last twenty-five centuries. For the pee iterate societies with which anthropology is concerned i is ot powible to study the detalls of long procter of change ef type. The ene Lind of hange which the anthropologist can observe i the disintegration of socal structures. Yet even here we'ean observe and compare spontancous move ‘ents towards reintegration. We havefrinatancin Ais, in Oceania ‘in America the appearance of new religions which can be interpreted on 8 functional hypothesis a attempts to relives condition of social dysnomia produced by the rapid modifation of the soil lle through contact wth white eviction, ‘The concept of function as defined above constitutes “working by- pothess” by which «numberof problems are formulated for inveatigntion Noscientiic enquiry is posible without some sich formulation of working hypotheses. Two remarks are necessary hee. One is thatthe hypothesis oes not requite the dogmatic asertion that everything in theif a very community hat a function. Te only reqites the assumption that i may have one and that wear usted in setking to discover The sscond x {hat what appears to be the same social usage la two societies may have Aierent fonctions in the two. Thus the practice of celey inthe Romas Catholic Church of to-day has very diferent functions from those a ele bey nthe early Chistian ehurch. Tn other words, in vet to deine cil tangy ad theslre in ver ta make valid onsparne beences te ‘usages of dierent peoples or periods iis necessary to cones ot merely the form af the usage but ale its function. On this bas for example, belch ina Supreme Being in a simple aocety i comeing diferent from sich 8 Dalit im modern civilized commonity. ‘The acceptance ofthe functional hypothesis or point of view outlined ove rel inthe recogaltion of» vate numberof problem fr the sl ‘tee an mi coins ot oo any ein of hese ete Sesto Aerie pking rep tno, nary ly ‘Biv eet for such itm estoy yee a ‘ny nent sto wich fhe eel ye the ete ne we aedro Awenicay avragorotocist fees 5 tion of which there are required wide comparative studs of societies of many diverse type and ao intensive stadis of as many singe societies 4s paul, In eld stadia ofthe slnpler peoples it leads st of all, toa iret study of the soci if ofthe community asthe fuetioning of socal ractre, and ofthis there are several examples recent Iterature. Since the fnetion oft socal activity ito he found by examining its eflets upon Individuals these ar studied either inthe average lndvidua ofa both fverage and exceptional individuals. Further the hypothess leads to at {emp to investigate directly the functional ensstency or unity of socal fytem ad fo determine as far as possibe In each instance the nature of thot unity. Such fei studies wil obviously be diferent in many ways from ‘ties eared out from other plat of view, og, the ethnological point of ‘View tat lays emmphls on dffron, We donot have to say that one point Cf view fo better than another, but only that they aze diferent, and any particular pec of work should be Judged inference to what it aims todo. the view bere outlined is taken as on frm of “Tanctionalism," afew ‘remarks on Dr Lester's paper become peemisibe. He makes reference toa, Giference of “contest” in functional and_ nox functional anthropology From the point of view here presated the “content or subject-matter of ‘social anthropology i the whole soil ile of people alts aspects. For Convenience of handing i i often necessary to devote pedal attention to ‘Some particular part or aspect ofthe seal le, but if functionals means ny thing st allt dows nen the sttempe to se the socal life of «people sea whole, as «functional unity ‘br Lever speaks of the functionalist a stressing “the peychologial sspecte of eulture.” I presume that e here refers tothe functionals’ ree gution thatthe angen ofa society wk or "uneton” nly throw thee ‘ects theif ey in the thoughts, sentiments and atans of individual. "The “functionalist” point of view bee presented does therefore imply that we have to iavestgate ae thoroughly ax posible al aspects of socal le, consldering them in relation to one another, and that an esental part of the task the investigation ofthe individual and of the way in which he Is moulded by or adjusted to the social if "Turning rom content to method Dr Lesser seems to find some conflict ‘between the functional point of view andthe historical. Ts is eminisent ‘ol the attempts formedy made to see coal between sociology and his tory, There need be n cont, but theteisa ference "Ther snot, and eunnot be any eonlict becween the fnetlonal hypoth sis andthe view that any culture, any socal system, isthe end-eslt of {unique series of historical accidents. The proces of development oftheracechore from is five-ted ancestor was aul sree of historical aci- ‘dents. This doesnot confct with the vie ofthe physiologist tat the horse a al the antecedent forms confor oF eoaformed to physio othe necessary conditions of organic existence, Palaeontology ‘and physiology are natin confit. One “explanation” of the racehorse to be found in is hstory—how it came tobe jst what it sand where it Another and ently Independent “explaoation” ito show how the horse {sta special exemplifeation of physiological laws, Sinilariy one “explane- tion” of sacl aystemn wl bes history, where we know itthe detailed ‘account of how it eae tobe what it i and wher it. Another "expan tion” of the same system is obtained by showing (as the functionalist tempts todo} tha it ina special exemplifation of laws a socal physiology ‘or social functioning The two Kinds of explanation do not cont, but Supplement one another "The functional hypothesis isin condct with two views that are held by some ethnologists, nd Its probably there, held as they often ace without reise formulation, that are the euse ofthe antagonist thet approach, ‘One isthe “shreds and patches” theory of culty, the designation being taken from phrateof Profesor Lowie! when he speaks of "that planlss hodgepodge, that thing af shreds and patches calle civilization.” ‘The concentation of attention on what i aled the difsion of eultaretats tends to produce a conception of culture as coleton of eisarate ellis (Che so-aled tats) brought together by pie historia acident and hav Ing only accidental relations to one another. The conception early form Intend maintained with any precision, but ae a hal unconscious point of view it does seem to contol the thinking of many ethnologist of "Lae on tl why the te ind ofthe Sic nd he an teria iin han carr ae ‘mec np. hat he ean srg nig the two ‘csr ening tem Sov The srl El so ol tray {Goth th Jour of Sse 188 T2847, Dane ei 8. concoct al hoi fiw et lowing pens ‘om Dr th Hens Tie Cana he Cannan sua Norham ‘Akan Atos Actin 3992) page ot yaw an ne Sigs ing el shed he seri ha he eh il a he prevent ine inti th ew theatre ateswo Auetcay axrunoroloctst eas s ‘ours in det cont with the hypothesis thefasctinal uty of seal systems "The second view which rin direct conflet withthe functional hypothesis isthe view that there are uo discoverable significant socologlal laws such {the functionalist i seeking, I know that some two oF the ethoologists Shy thatthe hold thie view, but Ihave found it imposible to know what they mean, or on what sort of evidence (etinal or empirical) they would bot thelr contention, Generations about aay sort of subject matter are tr two kinds the geaerlstons of common pinion, and generaiations that ave been verifed or demonstrated by a systematic examination of tridenceaflrded by pre observations syatematially made. Generalza- tone of the later kin are called senile laws, Those who hold that there ‘reno laws of hut society cannot hod that there are no generalizations bout Roman soriety because they themselves hold such generalizations ‘nd even make new ones oftheir own. They must therefore old that in the fed of socal phenomens, tn coteedstinetion to physical and bilogeal phenomena, any attempt atthe aystemati testing of existing generliz tions or towards the dicovery and werifeation of mew ones, for some “unexplained reason fate or a8 Dr Radin posi, “erying forthe mon, ‘Argument against such a contention ie unprotable oF indeed imposible, ‘Usivenstrvor CncAco