Abstract
Max Weber's "On Some Categories of Interpretive Sociology", published in 1913, plays a key role in both the development of his social theory and the contemporary study of his ideas on social action and social order. However, scholars are often preoccupied by Weber's 1920 book of Basic Concepts in Sociology and, from certain reasons, neglect his "On Some Categories of Interpretative Sociology". In order to make up for this shortcoming, this paper compares the internal discourse structure and external references of Some Categories to sort out related contexts to prove that the book has unique theoretical connotation. The interpretation of this paper is different from the two existing interpretations, that is, Some Categories is understood from the perspective of either "communication action theory" or "rational choice theory". A re-examination of the concepts in the book points out the dual role of "Einverständnis":a conceptual relation in social action connecting "Gemeinschaftshandeln/Einverständnishandeln/Gesellschaftshandeln" on the one hand, and a conceptual relation in social order connecting "action/Einverständnis/Vergesellschaftung" on the other hand. In this sense, what Weber established in Some Categories is a ternary action theory of "Gemeinschaftshandeln/Einverständnishandeln/Gesellschaftshandeln".At the core of the ternary action theory are the concept of Einverständnishandeln and one of its three elements-"as-if order".Both act to facilitate the transition between different actions and orders. In summary, the theoretical importance of Some Categories invites us to reflect on alternative ways of theorizing "from action to order" in social theory.