The Theory of Communicative Action: Volume 2: Lifeword and System: A Critique of Functionalist Reason

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Beacon Press, Mar 1, 1985 - Philosophy - 464 pages
Juergen Habermas opens Volume 2 with a brilliant reinterpretation of Mead and Durkheim and then develops his own approach to society, combining two hitherto competing paradigms, "system" and "lifeworld." The strength of this combination is then demonstrated in a detailed critique of Parsons's theory of social systems. Concluding with a critical reconstruction of the Weberan and Marxian treatment of modernity and its discontents, Habermas sets a new agenda for the critical theory of contemporary society. The combination of historical and theoretical sweep, analytical acumen and synthetic power, imagination and engagement mark this as one of the great works of twentieth-century social theory.
 

Contents

II
1
III
3
IV
43
V
77
VI
113
VII
119
VIII
153
IX
199
XII
283
XIII
301
XIV
303
XV
332
XVI
374
XVII
405
XVIII
439
XIX
449

X
204
XI
235

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About the author (1985)

Jürgen Habermas (born June 18, 1929) is a German sociologist and philosopher in the tradition of critical theory and pragmatism.

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