Foucault and Habermas

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Modern
Cover of the book Foucault and Habermas by Anonymous, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Anonymous ISBN: 9783638543835
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: September 12, 2006
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Anonymous
ISBN: 9783638543835
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: September 12, 2006
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Philosophy - Philosophy of the Present, grade: 1,7, Brandeis University (Department of Philosophy), course: Sem.: European Political Thought, 4 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Max Weber's thesis that the rationalization of Western societies in the course of the Enlightenment has been an irreversible process is one of the central and most consequential discoveries in modern European political thought. Its significance lies in the fact that any philosopher or social thinker who engages in an analysis of western societies must come to grips with the question what 'Enlightenment' means and involves. The various contemporary political theories of action can be distinguished in regard to their specific answers to that question, for these answers define the realm of that which is politically possible under the conditions of Modernity. Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas, who represent two of the most influential theories, both present powerful arguments for their respective assessments of the Enlightenment. However, these assessments are rather incompatible. Foucault, who devoted much of his life to the struggle against the hidden workings of an apparently ubiquitous and suppressive power, presents a decisively pessimistic account. For him, the Enlightenment has increased and sophisticated the techniques of power, which pervades and - more significantly - constitutes societies and their members as an invisible force while shaping the forms of knowledge that are generally accepted as given by them. Habermas, whose social philosophy has repeatedly proven its applicability to (foremost German social democratic) concrete governmental questions, is not as monistic as Foucault. There is no central category such as 'power' in his thought. This seems to be related to Habermas's objects of study as opposed to Foucault's. Foucault likes to look at the borders of society, at the psychiatric clinic, the prison, and defamed sexuality. Habermas, while not denying the existence of these, rather focuses on the development of middle class life and its institutions, foremost the public sphere and political institutions such as the parliament. Both of them are historical thinkers, and certainly both fill the empirical vacuum left by the Frankfurt school's masterpiece on the Enlightenment, Adorno's and Horkheimer's Dialektik der Aufklärung,with historical scrutiny. Significantly, though, Foucault's assessment of the Enlightenment stays much closer to theDialektik der Aufklärungthan Habermas. [...]

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Philosophy - Philosophy of the Present, grade: 1,7, Brandeis University (Department of Philosophy), course: Sem.: European Political Thought, 4 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Max Weber's thesis that the rationalization of Western societies in the course of the Enlightenment has been an irreversible process is one of the central and most consequential discoveries in modern European political thought. Its significance lies in the fact that any philosopher or social thinker who engages in an analysis of western societies must come to grips with the question what 'Enlightenment' means and involves. The various contemporary political theories of action can be distinguished in regard to their specific answers to that question, for these answers define the realm of that which is politically possible under the conditions of Modernity. Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas, who represent two of the most influential theories, both present powerful arguments for their respective assessments of the Enlightenment. However, these assessments are rather incompatible. Foucault, who devoted much of his life to the struggle against the hidden workings of an apparently ubiquitous and suppressive power, presents a decisively pessimistic account. For him, the Enlightenment has increased and sophisticated the techniques of power, which pervades and - more significantly - constitutes societies and their members as an invisible force while shaping the forms of knowledge that are generally accepted as given by them. Habermas, whose social philosophy has repeatedly proven its applicability to (foremost German social democratic) concrete governmental questions, is not as monistic as Foucault. There is no central category such as 'power' in his thought. This seems to be related to Habermas's objects of study as opposed to Foucault's. Foucault likes to look at the borders of society, at the psychiatric clinic, the prison, and defamed sexuality. Habermas, while not denying the existence of these, rather focuses on the development of middle class life and its institutions, foremost the public sphere and political institutions such as the parliament. Both of them are historical thinkers, and certainly both fill the empirical vacuum left by the Frankfurt school's masterpiece on the Enlightenment, Adorno's and Horkheimer's Dialektik der Aufklärung,with historical scrutiny. Significantly, though, Foucault's assessment of the Enlightenment stays much closer to theDialektik der Aufklärungthan Habermas. [...]

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book The protection of traditional indigenous knowledge by intellectual property law by Anonymous
Cover of the book The New Permissive Use of Force - A Window for Change in German Foreign Policy? by Anonymous
Cover of the book Should the U.S. government 'do something' about sectoral change in the economy? by Anonymous
Cover of the book HSBC Banking and Finance by Anonymous
Cover of the book Visual Culture - the representation of women in contemporary media by Anonymous
Cover of the book The Preemptive Straw Man - A Critique of Sherman Alexie's 'Toughest Indian in the World'. by Anonymous
Cover of the book Entwicklung der Filmwirtschaft und Filmproduktion in Deutschland während der NS-Zeit by Anonymous
Cover of the book The Distant Selling Directive 97/7/EG by Anonymous
Cover of the book Foreign Direct Investment in Russia by Anonymous
Cover of the book Aufdeckung von Unregelmäßigkeiten in der Rechnungslegung durch den Wirtschaftsprüfer by Anonymous
Cover of the book Discuss the distribution of genetic diversity found in human and chimpanzee populations by Anonymous
Cover of the book Harmony and Monody in Chopin by Anonymous
Cover of the book Will's development of a sense of home in the context of family and Indian community as displayed in Thomas King's 'Medicine River' by Anonymous
Cover of the book The European Community as a Federal State by Anonymous
Cover of the book The effect of foreign subcontractors on the german building industry by Anonymous
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy