Cognitive Rationality As a Cultural Issue Versus One-Linear Evolutionary Approach

Theory of information society is doctrine of autonomous technology. It presented as information technologies, the prime movers propelling the economics, culture and politics of the future, which seen as positive end. Followed by technocracy ideals, widely accepted thought in economics become: ethnicity, religion, and perceived social class will be eliminated through development of science. Meanwhile, as a contrast, the discourse, saying subjective meaning becomes a social fact, recently emerged within debates in the field of science and technology studies (STS). The STS scholars put forward the methodology of social action theory- sociological understand of rationality- as looking at the production of scientific knowledge, which is an analytical tools can be extended to other arenas. The contrast bring importance to look at methodological and philosophical foundation of Parsons’ theory of action. Parson claimed influence for the societal community had institutional functions similar to power for the political systems. Institutional functions of influence by and for scientific development that is technology, economy or etc. should be the current subjects of social science to analyse their driven forces. Therefore; this article aims to use Parsons’ theory of action together with the STS analytical tools to look scientific development of economics by (i) exploring the determinism hidden in information society theory and its possible effects on creating only certain types of influence on society. (ii) Investigating how influence of economic developments on society can form in cybernetic hierarchy of control that limits the possible influence of society-based interest on economic development (iii) Analysing the influence of society on economic developments as a potential driven force for the rise of autonomous, self-organized and self-interest social movements. The goal of this article is to contribute with the revitalization of Parson’s understanding of rationality in academic fields as well as in societal level as social movement studies.