Between Reason and History

David S. Owen

Description

Between Reason and History examines the role of the idea of progress both in Ju¬rgen Habermas's critical social theory and in critical social theory in general. The reception to Habermas's magnum opus, The Theory of Communicative Action, has tended to downplay the theory of social evolution it contains, but there are no in-depth examinations of this aspect of Habermas's critical theory. This book fills this gap by providing a comprehensive and detailed examination of Habermas's theory of social evolution, its significance within the wider scope of his critical social theory, and the importance of a theoretical understanding of history for any adequate critical social theory.

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. The Idea of Progress and Critical Social Theory

Critical Social Theory
Critical Hermeneutics
Summary

2. Habermas's Conception of Critical Social Theory

Formal Pragmatics

Communicative Action
Sociocultural Lifeworld
Communicative Rationality

The Developmental Theory of Social Evolution

Habermas's Reconstruction of Historical Materialism
Overview of the Mature Theory

The Theory of Modernity
Summary

3. The Development Theory of Social Evolution

General Considerations

Conceptual and Theoretical Distinctions
Epistemological Assumptions

Principal Elements

The Dimenions of Development
Rationalization
The Dynamic between Interaction and Labor
Development Logic and Empirical Mechanisms
Social Evolution as a Learning Process

4. The Idea of a Development Logic of History

The Concept of Developmental Logic

The Psychological-Theoretic Conception
Formal Properties
The Social-Theoretic Conception

The Developmental Logic Thesis

The Homological Arguments
The Formal-Pragmatic Argument
Further Questions

5. Progress and Social Evolution

Habermas's Conception of Progress
The Dialectic of Progress
A Differentiated Conception of Progress
Summary and Conclusions

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Sujets

• Philosophy

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791488478
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

BETWEEN REASON AND HISTORY

SUNY series in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences

Lenore Langsdorf, editor

BETWEEN REASON AND HISTORY

HABERMAS AND THE IDEA OF PROGRESS



David S. Owen

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2002 State University of New York Press

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For more information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

Production by Judith Block Marketing by Jennifer Giovani

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Owen, David S. Between reason and history : Habermas and the idea of progress / David S. Owen. p. cm. — (SUNY series in the philosophy of the social sciences) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0791454096 (alk. paper) — ISBN 079145410X (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Progress—Philosophy. 2. Habermas, Jürgen. I. Title. II. Series.

HM891 .O94 2002 303.44'01—dc21

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2001049779

For Diane 

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Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

Contents



1. The Idea of Progress and Critical Social Theory Critical Social Theory Critical Hermeneutics Summary

2. Habermas’s Conception of Critical Social Theory Formal Pragmatics Communicative Action Sociocultural Lifeworld Communicative Rationality The Developmental Theory of Social Evolution Habermas’s Reconstruction of Historical Materialism Overview of the Mature Theory The Theory of Modernity Summary

3. The Developmental Theory of Social Evolution General Considerations Conceptual and Theoretical Distinctions Epistemological Assumptions Principal Elements The Dimensions of Development Rationalization

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i

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1

7 7 24 29

31 33 35 44 47 51 52 62 65 71

73 73 74 79 82 82 87

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Contents

The Dynamic between Interaction and Labor Developmental Logic and Empirical Mechanisms Social Evolution as a Learning Process

4. The Idea of a Developmental Logic of History The Concept of Developmental Logic The PsychologicalTheoretic Conception Formal Properties The SocialTheoretic Conception The Developmental Logic Thesis The Homological Arguments The FormalPragmatic Argument Further Questions

5. Progress and Social Evolution Habermas’s Conception of Progress The Dialectic of Progress A Differentiated Conception of Progress Summary and Conclusions

Notes

Bibliography

Index

90 95 102

105 107 107 111 122 130 131 157 164

173 174 179 183 186

189

207

213

Acknowledgments



When I began my graduate study in philosophy my interests generally concerned issues of social justice. I worried, however, that critiques of “grand narratives” and of the reification of human nature undermined the possibility of grounding the nor mative stance of any critique aiming at social justice. In one of my first seminars I encountered the work of Jürgen Habermas, which immediately resonated with me. I found in his work a carefully nuanced attempt to provide a grounding for social critique, without collapsing into either foundationalism or relativism. That seminar was taught by Sandra Bartky, and since that time she has provided invaluable guid ance, encouragement, and criticism for both my career and this project. There is no doubt that without her regular encouragement I would not have completed this project. I also want to thank David Ingram for his helpful suggestions throughout the entire manuscript, and for proving to be an important resource, guiding me through the labyrinth of Habermas’s work. Others who have read the manuscript and provided valuable feedback include Jürgen Habermas, Richard Kraut, Charles Mills, and Leo Shelbert. I would also like to express my appreciation to Thomas McCarthy, who graciously took the time to discuss this project with me and con firming for me its importance during the early stages. Throughout the writing of this study I have had many discussions and con versations with colleagues and peers that have helped me to clarify and strengthen my arguments. I especially want to thank Paola Kindred, Christopher Zurn, Vic Peterson, and Amy Allen for their immensely helpful insights and comments. And I would like to thank the participants of the Critical Theory Roundtable, who over the years have provided a crucial intellectual community to discuss these ideas with. There are two people without whom I would not have been able to write this book. Beth Wagner, my mother, both encouraged and supported my studies so that I could arrive at a place where this book could even be a possibility. And Diane Marschang, who has been at my side from the very beginning of this proj ect, offering encouragement and support throughout its writing, and who deserves much of the credit for its completion.

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