Religious phenomena are naturally arranged in two fundamental categories: beliefs and rites. The first are states of opinion, and consist in representations; the second are determined modes of action. Emile Durkheim actionarrangebelief Change image and share on social
Reality seems valueless by comparison with the dreams of fevered imaginations; reality is therefore abandoned. Emile Durkheim abandoncomparisondream Change image and share on social
If religion has given birth to all that is essential in society, it is because the idea of society is the soul of religion. Emile Durkheim birthessentialidea Change image and share on social
A society whose members are united by the fact that they think in the same way in regard to the sacred world and its relations with the profane world, and by the fact that they translate these common ideas into common practices, is what is called a Church. In all history, we do not find a single religion without a Church. Emile Durkheim callchurchcommon share on social
It is science, and not religion, which has taught men that things are complex and difficult to understand. Emile Durkheim complexdifficultman Change image and share on social
It is too great comfort which turns a man against himself. Life is most readily renounced at the time and among the classes where it is least harsh. Emile Durkheim classcomfortgreat Change image and share on social
Men have been obliged to make for themselves a notion of what religion is, long before the science of religions started its methodical comparisons. Emile Durkheim comparisonlongmake Change image and share on social
Man seeks to learn, and man kills himself because of the loss of cohesion in his religious society; he does not kill himself because of his learning. It is certainly not the learning he acquires that disorganizes religion; but the desire for knowledge wakens because religion becomes disorganized. Emile Durkheim acquirecohesiondesire share on social
Each new generation is reared by its predecessor; the latter must therefore improve in order to improve its successor. The movement is circular. Emile Durkheim circulargenerationimprove Change image and share on social
A monomaniac is a sick person whose mentality is perfectly healthy in all respects but one; he has a single flaw, clearly localized. At times, for example, he has an unreasonable and absurd desire to drink or steal or use abusive language; but all his other acts and all his other thoughts are strictly correct. Emile Durkheim absurdabusiveact share on social