Summary
Jürgen Habermas’s *The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity* presents a critique of philosophical responses to modernity by examining thinkers from Hegel to post-modern figures. The book argues that modern philosophy has grappled with the fragmentation of reasoning that arose from critiques of subjective reason and the proclamation of the death of philosophy. Habermas analyzes how thinkers like Hegel sought to overcome this fragmentation with Absolute Knowledge, while others, like Nietzsche, declared philosophy's demise. The lectures track the trajectory of philosophical thought as it confronts the challenges of modernity, leading to diverse perspectives on unifying fragmented reasoning.
Through a series of twelve lectures, Habermas engages with figures such as Hegel, Nietzsche, Bataille, Foucault, and Derrida. The book highlights Habermas's own belief that art may hold the potential to unite fragmented reasoning abilities in the face of postmodern thought. Readers gain an understanding of the historical development of philosophical discourse around modernity and its inherent problems, as articulated by a range of influential thinkers.
Key concepts
- Subjective reason — A form of reason critiqued by Hegel, implying a focus on individual consciousness.
- Absolute Knowledge — A concept proposed by Hegel as a successor to subjective reason.
- Death of philosophy — A proclamation associated with Nietzsche, signaling a crisis in philosophical thought.
- Fragmented reasoning ability — The problem of divided or disconnected cognitive faculties that art might potentially unify.
From the book
Description: A series of twelve lectures on Modern and Post Modern thinkers ranging from Hegel who critiqued subjective reason and sought to replace it with Absolute Knowledge to Nietsche who proclaimed the death of philosophy and on to thinkers like Habermas who believed that art might possess the capability of uniting our fragmented reasoning ability and finally to post modern thinkers like Bataille, Focault and Derrida
Description: The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity: Twelve Lectures. Introduction by Thomas McCarthy, translated by Frederick Lawrence.
Snippet: The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity: Twelve Lectures. Introduction by Thomas McCarthy, translated by Frederick Lawrence.