Human totality and the total social fact

In this paper, we reconsider Marcel Mauss’s concept of the ‘total social fact’ (TSF) and its potential to redefine the sociological analysis of various phenomena. The prevailing interpretation of TSFs in the literature, which we refer to as the ‘Social Totality’ approach, focuses on phenomena sitting at the intersection of multiple social sites or spheres. We argue that there is an alternative interpretation, in which the Maussian TSF is intended to denote a tripartite framework for explaining phenomena at the intersection of the biological, the psychological, and the social, which we term the ‘Human Totality’ approach to TSFs. The Human Totality approach aligns more closely with current trends in contemporary sociology, which are increasingly incorporating insights from embodiment, psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science. We illustrate the analytic utility of the Human Totality approach by examining the phenomenon of addiction as a Maussian TSF, showing how its biological, psychological, and social dimensions intersect and interact. We close by noting how the Human Totality conception of TSFs could lead to a more holistic and robust sociological science by bridging explanatory gaps between different intra and interdisciplinary perspectives.