Durkheim et le problème de l'objecitivité: une lecture des «Formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse »

At the heart of current debate on the sociology of knowledge, the status for the notion of objectivity is at the same time a fundamental presupposition for several interpretations of Durkheimian epistemology. This article proposes an analysis centered on the Formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse [Elementary forms of religious life]. In this work, Durkheim is obliged to defend objectivity for the representation of relativist and constructivist implications of his own sociology of knowledge and religion. In spite of the aporia in his approach, the type of ontology required for his work constantly provides good arguments in favour of the thesis according to which there exists an independent (social) reality for our representations. If this is not sufficient to resolve all difficulties, it should dissuade us from according him the paternity of different, or even opposing theses, due to the fact that he does not succeed in fully demonstrating a particular thesis