Knowledge and Human InterestsHabermas describes Knowledge and Human Interests as an attempt to reconstruct the prehistory of modern positivism with the intention of analysing the connections between knowledge and human interests. Convinced of the increasing historical and social importance of the natural and behavioural sciences, Habermas makes clear how crucial it is to understand the central meanings and justifications of these sciences. He argues that for too long the relationship between philosophy and science has been distorted. In this extraordinarily wide-ranging book, Habermas examines the principal positions of modern philosophy - Kantianism, Marxism, positivism, pragmatism, hermeneutics, the philosophy of science, linguistic philosophy and phenomenology - to lay bare the structure of the processes of enquiry that determine the meaning and the validity of all our statements which claim objectivity. This edition contains a postscript written by Habermas for the second German edition of Knowledge and Human Interests. |
Contents
Synthesis | |
CHAPTER THREE The Idea of the Theory of Knowledge | |
PART TWO Positivism Pragmatism | |
The Dilemma of | |
CHAPTER SEVEN Diltheys Theory of Understanding | |
PART THREE Critique as the Unity | |
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Common terms and phrases
abduction absolute according analysis analytic basis behavioral system categories causal cognitive cognitive interest comprehended conceived concept connection consciousness constituted content critical critique of knowledge cultural sciences derived determined development Dilthey dream elements empirical epistemology existence expression external fact false consciousness Fichte forces of production form framework Frankfurt Freud function Hegel hermeneutic hermeneutic understanding history human species hypothesis Ibid identity illusion individual inference instrumental action interaction interpretation intersubjectivity Kant knowledge-constitutive interests lawlike level linguistic logic of inquiry Marx meaning mediated metaphysics methodological model natural sciences Nietzsche object domain objectivism objectivist objects of possible ordinary language patient Peirce Phenomenology philosophy of science positivism positivist pragmatism presuppositions priori process of inquiry production propositions psychic psychoanalysis pure reality reconstruction reflection relation represented rules scientific scientism self-formative process self-reflection self-understanding sense social labor statements structure subject super-ego symbolic synthesis system of instrumental systematic technical control theoretical tradition transcendental translator's note unity validity world