The passages of theory: a critical analysis of the Ortega–Mead connection

Abstract

In this paper, I orchestrate an encounter between Mead and Ortega in which their notions of action, truth, self, society, and individual agency are systematically compared. Thus, I offer a critical comparison of Ortega's and Mead's positions on the above issues, pointing to the strengths and weaknesses in their respective theories. My comparison shows how an encounter between Mead and Ortega can lead to the refinement, extension, and ultimate improvement in Mead's ideas, especially his conception of the relation of the individual to society.

Citation

Ruiz Junco, N. (2008), "The passages of theory: a critical analysis of the Ortega–Mead connection", Denzin, N.K., Salvo, J. and Washington, M. (Ed.) Studies in Symbolic Interaction (Studies in Symbolic Interaction, Vol. 31), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 81-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-2396(08)31005-9