La precaria unidad de la razón (J. Habermas)

Resumen

This article analyzes Habermas' progressive development of a new concept of rationality opposed to the prevailing paradigm. It puts forward Habermas' theory of communicative action, on the one hand, as an effort to unify once again the split apart reason of Modernity, and, on the other, as an adequate but insufficient articulation of the life-world and the systemic view of society. Through the adoption of this new model of rationality philosophy rescues the importance of intersubjective consensus, of interaction, and consequently of the formation of the will enabling it to issue judgement about ends. This notwithstanding Habermas does not study in depth the content and genesis of these concepts which, for this very reason, remain excessively formal. Hence his increasing approximation to a postmetaphysical thought and to a procedural reason of universal ambition, but devoid of hope.