From universals to structures: The whole-part relationship in philosophical and sociological thought

In this study, the duality of structure and agency, which can be expressed as a contradiction between active agents and structural factors in its simplest form, is discussed within the framework of the problem of universals. Based on the analysis of theories directed towards both research areas, this study aims to demonstrate the similarity between the duality of structure and agency and the problem of universals, and to reconsider the relationship between society and the individual on this basis. The study concluded that, based on the treatment of the part-whole (particular-universal) relationship, the realist and nominalist traditions regarding universals are similar to structure-oriented and action-oriented sociologicaltheories,respectively. And it has been concluded that society, as a universal entity, exists separately from individuals and is external to them. It has been acknowledged that there is a genuine duality between society and the individual or between structure and agency, and ontological priority has been given to the individual over society. In this regard, it has been argued that sociological theory should be based on this duality.