Subject: HAB: Habermas's SOCIOLOGY
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 07:52:12 -0600 


All this talk of Habermas's philosophy or psychology or anthropology is
missing the crucial point: Habermas is taking a predominantly
SOCIOLOGICAL perspective in his argument.  Remember, he's arguing that
the philosophy of consciousness is dead, and that sociology is the
discipline par excellence which has dealt with the "rationality" problem
taking into account both the systems and lifeworld levels.  The thinkers
he deals with-Mead, Parsons, Durkheim, and to a lesser extent
Goffman-are all sociologists.  For a summary of the subjective world and
dramaturgical action, and why Habermas believes it falls short of
satisfying the conditions of reasoned or communicative action, see my
"Habermas, Goffman, and Communicative Action: Implications for
Professional Practice, American Sociological Review 60 (4):545-565,
1995.  (I happen to believe Habermas shortchanged Goffman, although I
believe his fundamental idea about the decoupling of system from
lifeworld is sound.)

Dr. James J. Chriss
Kansas Newman College
Sociology Department


     --- from list habermas-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---