Rethinking the Question of Rationality——From the Perspective of Habermas
The question of reason or rationality is not only a fundamental issue in traditional philosophy,but also the logical starting point of The Theory of Communicative Action.In Habermas'eye,"Reason"and"Rationality"are indistinguishable.In fact,"Reason"does not necessarily mean"Rationality,"but the former gradually changes into the latter.The problem of rationality is so complex that it concerns both theoretical and practical rationality.In"Practical Rationality,"it involves both Formal or Purposive Rationality and Essential or Value Rationality.Rationality is closely related to the Communicative Action,which is both a speech act and a social act.Thus,to understand the issue of rationality well,one must understand the Communicative Action well;and to understand the Communicative Action(concerning Communicative Rationality)well,one must first understand the Instrumental Action(concerning Instrumental Rationality).In short,to solve the problem of rationality well,one must reconcile the problem of the relationship between instrumental rationality and communicative rationality—"Instrumental rationality is monologic,while communicative rationality is essentially dialogic."In this way,The Theory of Communicative Action realized the paradigm shift of critical theory,that is,from the philosophy of consciousness which focuses on the relationship between subject and object and upholds subjectivity,to the philosophy of language which focuses on the relationship between language and the world and upholds intersubjectivity;from traditional critical theory to a theory of communicative action;and from old critical theory to new critical theory.
reasonrationalityinstrumental Rationalitycommunicative Rational itytheory of communicative actionnew critical theory
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