Autotelic Folk-Models

Abstract : This paper is concerned with cultural products called autotelic, i.e., cultural products such as puzzles, games of chance, games of strategy, and aesthetic objects, all of which contain their own goals and sources of motivation. Such activities are 'cut off' in a sense, from serious and immediate problems of survival and welfare, and are protected by autotelic norms which dictate that participation must not impinge on serious problems. As a heuristic principle for the application of formal methods in sociology, it is suggested that autotelic cultural products may be viewed as folk-models, i.e., models in the pre-scientific culture, with the help of which members of a society learn about and 'play at' the workings of their society. Historical evidence is offered to show that some such heutistic principle may have guided the construction of formal theories which have proved to be useful to sociologists. And some current formal studies (deontic logic) and experimental investigations (teaching pre-school children) are cited and related to the heuristic principle. (Author)