C.T after DoE

[Claus Hansen]

At 10:31 09-04-03 +0000, you wrote:
>But this draws into question habermas's project.
>
>Worthless?

Yes it does indeed draw Habermas' project into question - but imho there 
are so many
unresolved questions arising from his transformation of critical theory 
that this is
inevitable regardless of the stance towards Adorno.

The standard critique is of course
Habermas view on the relation between human beings and nature: - how can we 
ever
conceive of the damages done to nature and animals because of the way 
technology
works at this present state of history in the framework of a theory of 
communication and
communicative rationality?

I don't know if it renders his project completely worthless. To me it does 
not offer
much as it raises as many questions as it answers. That does not however, mean
that it can't be used as an analytical framework under special 
circumstances. But is is
correct that Adorno was very critical of a theory that would emphasise the 
role of
communication as one can read clearly in his little essay on 'Subject and 
Object'. I
think my best attempt at answering the question of Habermas' relevance if 
one were
to accept some or all of Adornos thoughts is J.M Bernsteins book on Habermas:
'Recovering Ethical Life: Jürgen Habermas and the Future of Critical Theory'

Claus



>mattP
>
>Ps: although I agree certain of JH's concerns seem to be rendered 
>impertinent by a closer reading of DoE. quotes to follow :-).
>
>MattP,
>
>>>Rauno,
>>>
>>>This IS precisely the question IMO:
>>>
>>>>One might also ask was the idea of critical theory invalidated  in
>>>> >DIALECTIC OF ENLIGHTENMEN.
>>>
>>>My feelings are that the subcategory of critical reason was seen by H & 
>>>A. to be "infected" with the dialectic of enlightenment ('the seed of 
>>>reversal') as were other subcategories of Reason. Put simply the entire 
>>>category of Reason was susceptible to inversion. So Adorno at least 
>>>turned to art to recover any notion of positive enlightenment.
>>
>>I don't believe this reading is entirely correct, or even plausible 
>>considering many of Adornos statements.
>>It is true that 'critical was infected by the dialectic of enlightenment' 
>>otherwise it would be impossible to
>>understand the paradoxical prose and structure of Negative Dialectics. 
>>One cannot do away the contradictions
>>rising from wanting to criticise conceptual thinking by way of conceptual 
>>thinking by a pure act of will.
>>The contradiction is real not a simple matter of 'bad thinking', however 
>>the contradiction should not be
>>hypostatised as some kind of universal ahistorical condition for all 
>>future thought. This is were Adornos
>>utopian thinking comes into being - he wanted to 'enlighten the 
>>enlightenment'.
>
>enlighten the enlightened. Well I guess that's what we are trying to do in 
>the realpolitik at present. We are trying to remind America that its inner 
>core is radical democracy. In this way there is a link up with the word of 
>Marx. This is where perhaps China falls down. Not enough Marx. the 
>liberation of the Iraqi working people is a victory for new
>socialism.
>
>
>best regards,
>
>mattP.
>
>
>
>>It is of course correct that Adorno 'turned to art' but this turn should 
>>again not be misunderstood. It was not
>>an abandonment of philosophy - because without aesthetics (which is one 
>>part of philosophy) art works
>>would not be able to give a 'promise' of some kind of other 
>>enlightenment. The reason why Adorno put so
>>much emphasis on the practices of art is that - according to Bernsteins 
>>reading - this sphere of life is the
>>only one where there is a 'systematic transformation in the relation 
>>between concept and object'. This
>>transformed relation (what one could called a mimetic relationship) is a 
>>necessary precondition for an
>>enlightened enlightenment - or a critical reason without the dialectic. 
>>It is however, not only in artworks
>>this transformed relationship occurs - again according to Bernstein - it 
>>does occur in the social world
>>in what he terms 'fugitive experiences' - and he points to the last 
>>chapter of Negative Dialectics:
>>'Mediations on Metaphysics' where Adorno tries to thematise this problem.
>>
>>Claus
>>
>>
>>____________________________________________________________________________
>>"Hos mange mennesker er det allerede en uforskammethed, nr de siger 
>>'jeg'" (T.W. Adorno)
>>
>
>
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____________________________________________________________________________
"Hos mange mennesker er det allerede en uforskammethed, når de siger 'jeg'" 
(T.W. Adorno)