A Critique of Habermas' Theory of Practical Rationality

264

DISCUSSION

substantive policy issues. (e) Finally, rational practical choice requires not only democracy and public participation but also enlightenment and technical, socio-economic knowledge. Although democracy and enlightenment do not lead to consensus on substantive issues, they may well lead to a methodological consensus upon the issues of legitimacy and peaceful strategies of conflict resolution.

NOTES

1 See T. Parsons, The Structure of SocialAction, 1949, Free Press, pp. 43--86. 2 A historieist rejection of the definition of instrumental rationality in terms of scien- tific knowledge can be found in P. Winch, The Idea of a Social Science, 1958, Routledge and Kegan Paul. 3 An example of the rejection of the possibility of practical rationality may be found in: M. Weber, The Methodology of Social Sciences, 1949, Free Press, pp. 50--57. 4 A recent work emphasizing the non-rationalistic theory of practical rationality is J. C. Alexander's Theoretical Logic in Sociology: Positivism Presuppositions, and Current Controversies, 1982, University of California Press, pp. 64-- 126. 5 A brief discussion of Luhman's technocratic theory can be found in: F. W. Sixel, 'The Problem of Sense: Habermas vs. Luhman' in J. O'Neill (ed.), On Critical Theory, 1976, Continuum Books, pp. 184--205. 6 Such a synthesis is exemplified in J. Habermas, The Theory of Communicative Action, 1984, Beacon Press. 7 I. Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, 1964, Macmillan & Co. 8 j. Habermas, Legitimation Crisis, 1975, Beacon Press, pp. 107--8. 9 j. Habermas, Knowledge and Human Interests, 1971, Beacon Press, pp. 113--160. 10 See, for example, C. L6vi-Strauss, The Savage Mind, 1966, University of Chicago Press, pp. 245--270. 11 j. Habermas, 1971, pp. 161--186. 12 Ibid., pp. 246--273. 13 L. Althusser, ForMarx, 1979, Verso, pp. 231--356. 14 j. Habermas, 1971, pp. 91--139. a5 Ibid.,pp. 161--186. 16 Ibid., pp. 161--165. 17 Ibid., pp. 274--300 18 j. Habermas, 1971, pp. 189--213. 19 L. Althusser, 'Freud and Laean', New Left Review, No. 55, May--June 1960, pp. 48--66. 2o See M. Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology of Perception, 1962, Routledge and Kegan Paul, pp. 174--202. 21 j. Habermas, Communication and the Evolution of Society, 1979, Beacon Press, pp. 1--68.

22 Ibid., pp. 59--68. 23 IBM., pp. 41--68. 24 Ibid., pp. 95--129.