File spoon-archives/habermas.archive/habermas_2000/habermas.0009, message 3


Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2000 21:34:14 -0400
From: Martin Blanchard <tintamar-AT-club-internet.fr>
Subject: Re: HAB: Habermas and Alain Renaut


I guess you are referring to the critics Renaut made about Habermas 
replacing a philosophy of the subject with an 
intersubjectivist-linguistic turn. Rawls has developped a conception 
of the person, which makes some substantial moves about a democratic 
subject, and I think that this is what Renaut prefers over Habermas's 
kantian project (if my memory is good).

To my modest knowledge, Habermas has never directly answered Renaut 
concerning that critic. But I know that Habermas might have read 
Renaut's work, or at least might be concerned with it. (I know that 
from a friend that...)

So not having enough time to dig deep enough, I think that at first 
glance, either Habermas does not wish to repeat what he said in the 
80's about the philosophy of consciousness, either he is sympathetic 
towards Renaut's work, but thinks that the search of a democratic 
ethos for the subject does not play on the same level than a formal 
pragmatic explaining how a consensus is obtained between a multitude 
of subjects.

But more and more, I think Renaut had something there. Maybe, just 
maybe, the levels are not so different. Concerning Habermas' defiance 
towards the state, for example, I am tempted to say that a philosophy 
of the subject could certainly investigate some points that Habermas 
has neglected. But Renaut meant other things, for sure. I'm just 
expanding his criticisms from my own point of view.

Anyways, in BFN Habermas made it clear that any ethos has no part to 
play whatsoever in a procedural validation of democratic decisions.

Best,

Martin Blanchard




>Does anyone know if Habermas (or anyone else) has ever responded to thhe
>Frenchh liberal philosopher Alain Renaut?  I'm reading his book Kant
>Aujourdhui, and in it he discusses at some length Habermas and Apel, and
>concludes the long book by taking sides with Rawls against Habermas (more
>or less).
>Antoine Goulem
>
>
>
>
>      --- from list habermas-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---



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

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005