CHAPTER 1 Narrative Psychology and Historical Consciousness Relationships and Perspectives DONALD E. POLKINGHORNE Postmodern theory has severely undercut ...

Bestrebungen in der Psychologie auf empirischen Wege zur Klärung der Frage nach der Freiheit des Willens beizutragen werden einer grundsätzlichen Kritik unterzogen (Ausgangspunkt sind dabei die Untersuchungen von Mario von Cranach und Rolf Amman). Diese übersehen, dass der verwendete Begriff der Willensfreiheit verstanden als der prinzipiellen Unmöglichkeit bevorstehende Entscheidungen zu prognostizieren, zum einen eine empirische Klärung der Frage verhindert. Zum andern ist diese Explikation der Willensfreiheit unangemessen. Dieser sollte eben nicht als Nicht-Determiniert verstanden werden, sondern als ein Handeln nach Gründen.

This article gives a survey of factors that could be relevant for the explanation of behaviour under the nazi-regime with reference to the study by Ch. Browning. Instead of causal explanations we suggest ‘how-possible explanations’. These explanations should make plausible how behaviour could come about taking into consideration intentional, normative and narrative aspects. Brutalization of the prepetrators, the psychological mechanism of distancing oneself, antisemitism, bureaucratization, carrierism, interest in power and conventionalist tendencies are discussed as relevant explanatory factors. Milgram’s analyses of (...) obedience and group-conformity are brought into perspective within a wider-ranging culturalist approach. (shrink)

Das Verstehen der Intention menschlicher Handlungen - und damit eine im Kern psychologische Dimension - bildet die Erkenntnisgrundlage der Geschichtswissenschaft. Die nicht-intendierten Folgen menschlichen Handelns hingegen sind das Kardinalproblem der Geschichtsphilosophie, die nach dem Sinn, mitunter auch nach dem Ziel der Geschichte fragt. Die Anthropologie schliesslich sucht anzugeben, was den Menschen jenseits seiner Geschichte ausmacht. Der unhistorische Charakter der Anthropologie einerseits sowie das unvollstandige Menschenbild traditioneller Geschichtsphilosophien andererseits schienen eine gegenseitige Verstandigung bislang auszuschliessen.Die Psychoanalyse, an der Schnittstelle von Natur- und (...) Kulturwissenschaft befindlich, vermag das Verhaltnis von Natur und Geschichte jedoch neu zu bestimmen: Sie betrachtet nicht nur die Natur des Menschen als fundamental geschichtlich und sozial, sie erganzt zugleich das Verstehen der Intention menschlicher Handlungen um innerpsychische und unbewusste Aspekte.Prof. Dr. Jurgen Straub schreibt im Geleitwort uber Martin Kluners: Freud als einen Geschichtsphilosophen vorzustellen, auf diese ein wenig verwegene Idee waren bislang doch eher wenige gekommen. [...] Kluners meldet sich mit seiner aussergewohnlichen Dissertationsschrift als origineller, individueller Autor zu Wort, der nicht mit dem Strom schwimmt und dennoch zu hochst aktuellen Fragen etwas Interessantes zu sagen hat. Er liefert zweifellos neue Impulse. Kluners gibt fast nirgends einfach bloss wieder, was andere vor ihm auch schon wussten und sagten - er tut dies zwar auch, gewiss, erganzt und erweitert den Blick aber stets. Er nimmt in vielfach hochst anregender Weise jene geschichtliche, geschichtstheoretische und geschichtsphilosophische Dimension in den Blick, welche die Psychoanalyse als Subjekt-, Sozial- und Kulturwissenschaft auszeichnet. (shrink)

In Between Facts and Norms, Jürgen Habermas works out the legal and political implications of his Theory of Communicative Action (1981), bringing to fruition the project announced with his publication of The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere in 1962. This new work is a major contribution to recent debates on the rule of law and the possibilities of democracy in postindustrial societies, but it is much more. The introduction by William Rehg succinctly captures the special nature of the work, (...) noting that it offers a sweeping, sociologically informed conceptualization of law and basic rights, a normative account of the rule of law and the constitutional state, an attempt to bridge normative and empirical approaches to democracy, and an account of the social context required for democracy. Finally, the work frames and caps these arguments with a bold proposal for a new paradigm of law that goes beyond the dichotomies that have afflicted modern political theory from its inception and that still underlie current controversies between so-called liberals and civic republicans. The book includes a postscript written in 1994, which restates the argument in light of its initial reception, and two appendixes, which cover key developments that preceded the book. Habermas himself was actively involved in the translation, adapting the text as necessary to make it more accessible to English-speaking readers. (shrink)

This anthology brings together for the first time, in revised or new translation, ten essays that present the main concerns of Jürgen Habermas's program in formal pragmatics. Jürgen Habermas's program in formal pragmatics fulfills two main functions. First, it serves as the theoretical underpinning for his theory of communicative action, a crucial element in his theory of society. Second, it contributes to ongoing philosophical discussion of problems concerning meaning, truth, rationality, and action. By the "pragmatic" dimensions of language, Habermas means (...) those pertaining specifically to the employment of sentences in utterances. He makes clear that "formal" is to be understood in a tolerant sense to refer to the rational reconstruction of general intuitions or competences. Formal pragmatics, then, aims at a systematic reconstruction of the intuitive linguistic knowledge of competent subjects as it is used in everyday communicative practices. His program may thus be distinguished from empirical pragmatics--for example, sociolinguistics--which looks primarily at particular situations of use. This anthology brings together for the first time, in revised or new translation, ten essays that present the main concerns of Habermas's program in formal pragmatics. Its aim is to convey a sense of the overall purpose of his linguistic investigations while introducing the reader to their specific details, in particular to his theories of meaning, truth, rationality, and action. (shrink)

A Hobbesian Model. If ever possible the modelling of the abstract pattern of the item of a philosophical theory belongs, alas!, to its interpretation. In the case of the Hobbesian theory of the natural right and the natural laws (Lev c. XIV, XV) the mathematics of the covenant-model and of its interpretation by an model of preferences and utilities is a neglect task till now. Its performance shows certain shortcomings of the Hobbesian theory.

These essays by the contemporary German philosopher and sociologist, Jurgen Habermas, were written between 1958 and 1979.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to, and selection from, Jrgen Habermas's writings from the early 1960s to the present. The book is divided into seven sections, covering the principal areas of Habermas's work. Each section includes an introduction and a selection of substantial extracts from relevant books.In the general introduction, Outhwaite outlines the central themes of Habermas's work and analyses the development of his views over the years. Subsequent sections are organized thematically and chronologically, so that the book will (...) be easy to use by students.There are extracts from all of Habermas's major works, including his early work on the public sphere and on science and technology; his writings on the methodology and epistemology of the social sciences; his work on evolution and legitimation; his theory of communication and discourse ethics; his analysis of modernity and his critique of postmodernism; and his most recent work on law and the state.By bringing these wide-ranging contributions together in a single volume, The Habermas Reader is an ideal teaching text. It will also be of interest to anyone who wishes to gain an overview of the work of one of the most important social thinkers of the twentieth century. (shrink)

"At the hands of a minor talent, profiles are often flat, two-dimensional outlines of a thinker’s intellectual physiognomy. At the hands of a master like Jürgen Habermas, they can become something far more substantial and profound. With astonishing economy, Habermas sketches his impressions of the giants of recent German thought, several of whom were his personal mentors. For those of his readers accustomed to the demandingly abstract level of his theoretical work, the results will prove a welcome surprise. Without sacrificing (...) any of the rigor and brilliance of those longer studies, he displays a remarkable ability to combine depth with brevity. Philosophical-Political Profiles not only adds a new dimension to our understanding of the intellectual odyssey of Germany’s leading contemporary thinker but also provides a series of stunning insights into the thought of the generation that preceded him."_ Martin Jay, University of California, Berkley__ "With enormous sensitivity, judiciousness, and critical insight, Habermas engages in dialogue with many of the leading German-trained intellectuals of our time-including Heidegger, Jaspers, Löwith, Bloch, Adorno, Benjamin, Marcuse, Arendt, Gadamer, Scholem, and others. These essays range over the most central and vital issues of contemporary life. Whether dealing with Jewish mysticism or critiques of modernity, Habermas is always illuminating and incisive. These essays can serve as an excellent introduction to his thinking. They also help to situate his theoretical work by revealing his deepest concerns." Richard Bernstein, The New School for Social Research_. (shrink)

Die ökologische und klimatische Katastrophe gefährdet die Grundfesten unserer planetaren Existenzbedingungen. Angesichts der dadurch verursachten Zerstörungen plädiert Jürgen Manemann für eine rettende Umweltphilosophie. Diese erschüttert die Kaltstellungen des wissenschaftlich-technischen Zugriffs auf Natur durch die Konfrontation mit Andersheit und Anderheit in Natur. Rettende Umweltphilosophie zielt auf ein (Zusammen-)Leben, das alle Menschen, Tiere, Pflanzen, Arten, Berge, Flüsse, Ökosysteme und die Erde als Teil der Moralgemeinschaft umfasst. Indem sie sich engagierend und aktivierend um die Handlungsfähigkeit der Menschen sorgt, begründet sie eine Pflicht zum (...) Aktivismus. Rettende Umweltphilosophie schärft den Blick für Utopisches und lässt Neues im Kaputten und in Zwischenräumen aufblitzen. (shrink)

"At the hands of a minor talent, profiles are often flat, two-dimensional outlines of a thinker’s intellectual physiognomy. At the hands of a master like Jürgen Habermas, they can become something far more substantial and profound. With astonishing economy, Habermas sketches his impressions of the giants of recent German thought, several of whom were his personal mentors. For those of his readers accustomed to the demandingly abstract level of his theoretical work, the results will prove a welcome surprise. Without sacrificing (...) any of the rigor and brilliance of those longer studies, he displays a remarkable ability to combine depth with brevity. Philosophical-Political Profiles not only adds a new dimension to our understanding of the intellectual odyssey of Germany’s leading contemporary thinker but also provides a series of stunning insights into the thought of the generation that preceded him."_ Martin Jay, University of California, Berkley__ "With enormous sensitivity, judiciousness, and critical insight, Habermas engages in dialogue with many of the leading German-trained intellectuals of our time-including Heidegger, Jaspers, Löwith, Bloch, Adorno, Benjamin, Marcuse, Arendt, Gadamer, Scholem, and others. These essays range over the most central and vital issues of contemporary life. Whether dealing with Jewish mysticism or critiques of modernity, Habermas is always illuminating and incisive. These essays can serve as an excellent introduction to his thinking. They also help to situate his theoretical work by revealing his deepest concerns." Richard Bernstein, The New School for Social Research_. (shrink)

O presente texto pretende discernir quer o método quer o conteúdo do Pensamento Novo de Franz Rosenzweig. Do ponto de vista metodológico, o autor do artigo chega à conclusão de que o "método Judaico" da Estrela da Redenção simplesmente "reflecte" a experiência por Rosenzweig do facto de, pura e simplesmente, se achar Judeu. Com efeito, para o pensador hebreu, "modo de pensar" e "modo de viver" não se podem separar um do outro. Ora é precisamente aí que se dá a (...) fundamentação "filosófico-teológica" desta experiência no sentido de uma relação fraternal entre as duas ciências. No essencial, porém, coloca-se a seguinte questão: No momento em que a obra Estrela da Redenção recorda ao leitor a existência de "algo vivente" e o despede em "direcção à vida" (ins Leben), de que vida é que propriamente se fala aqui? A "fé" na criação por Deus de factos é, para Rosenzweig, a resposta; mas o seu objectivo é conduzir-nos ao acatamento desta "factualidade". Nesta medida, Rosenzweig interpreta a "Factualidade" da própria Verdade como "verdade criada". Deus sela com o "Beijo" o "e" presente em "Morte e Vida" enquanto verdade criada do ser humano e, com isso, ao mesmo tempo, como aquela verdade que deixa ao ser humano a possibilidade de ser Sua criatura. E o ser humano dá o seu assentimento veritativo ao facto de que assim é. Mostra-se, deste modo, até que ponto o ser humano permanece no âmbito daquilo que lhe é próprio sem, contudo, nisso deixar de ser "coisa de Deus", Sua criatura. /// The article deals with method and subject matter of Franz Rosenzweig's New Thinking. As for the former, it can be seen that the "Jewish method" of the Star of Redemption "reflects" Rosenzweig's experience of the "fact" that he is a Jew. For him, "way of thinking" and "way of life" are inseparably connected. This very connection forms the "philosophical-theological" foundation of the named experience in the sense of the "siblinghood" of both disciplines. As for the subject matter, the article asks what sort of life is meant when the Star reminds the readers of "something living" and, at the end, dismisses them "into life". Rosenzweig's answer is the "belief" in the "createdness of facts by God"; his aim is to guide the reader into the "acceptance" of the "so it is" of this "factuality". Thus, Rosenzweig points out the "factuality" of truth itself as being "created truth ". By means of the "kiss" God seals the "and" of "death and life" as the creaturely truth of man and at the same time as that truth which lets man be "His" creature. In answer to this, man speaks his confirming adherence "verily". He thereby not only "keeps to" his own but also remains God's property, "His". (shrink)

A diferencia de un cómputo abstracto del tiempo, las consideraciones sobre lo que ha sucedido a lo largo del tiempo nos conduce a la historia real. En este segundo sentido, el año 2000 representa la herencia de una época, que nació del espíritu de esperanza mesiánica: con el descubrimiento y la conquista de América y con la evolución de la ciencia y la tecnología, Europa se creyó la soberana eterna del mundo. El siglo XIX fue el siglo del mito del (...) progreso, pero el progreso histórico provocó la ruina de las sociedades coloniales y la autodestrucción de Europa. Durante el siglo XX, predominó el mito del progreso y la autosuficiencia humana fue predominante y completó la historia al borde de grandes catástrofes. ¿Habremos entonces entrado en un final sin principios? Aún podríamos esperar un nuevo comienzo para el futuro, si la esperanza cristiana nos mostrara nos mostrara el camino para completar la historia, si aún pudiéramos revitalizar la democracia con la esperanza de implantar los derechos humanos, y si, superando la destrucción ecológica, pudiéramos convertir la tierra en un un hogar habitable para la humanidad. Con estos objetivos humanos todavía podríamos lograr una buena globalización. (shrink)