Descrédito de la verdad y banalización de la ideología

Abstract

The sociology of knowledge, and within it the sociology of ideology, are grounded on a solid tradition. They have made considerable progress through time. However, the growth of a generalized relativism in social science together with that of a simplistic deterministic visión, have taken their toU of that tradition. The present essay is a plea for the virtues of the classical analysis of ideology. It shows its valué for cognitive sociology today. Likewise, it unveils the fallacies and poverty of the so-called post-modem position. Criticism is concentrated on post-modemism as it embodies most clearly the weaknesses that hinder the rigorous and fruitfiíl study of the social conditions of objective knowledge.