Time as a synthesis element: contributions for a sociological dilemma

Resumo

Different authors systematized the sociological dilemma between agency and structure. In the post-70, there was a theoretical movement aimed at responding alternatively to this dilemma, offering a theory that was able to grasp both the individual and social dimensions of life in society. Different answers have been given, and one neglected element seems to be of fundamental importance in these alternative constructs, namely: time. This article suggests a rereading of some of these answers and argues that the temporal element seems to be of fundamental importance in the construction of these narratives. Therefore, the article has a rereading of some well-known authors and a new approach to the theme of time. As a consequence of the debate, the article introduces the notion of “epistemological time”, arguing that we should think time as an epistemological aspect, central to the construction of sociological knowledge.