Postmetaphysical Thinking

In this new collection of recent essays, Habermas takes up andpursues the line of analysis begun in The PhilosophicalDiscourse of Modernity. He begins by outlining the sources andcentral themes of twentieth-century philosophy, and the range ofcurrent debates. He then examines a number of key contributions tothese debates, from the pragmatic philosophies of Mead, Perice andRorty to the post-structuralism of Foucault. Like most contemporary thinkers, Habermas is critical of theWestern metaphysical tradition and its exaggerated conception ofreason. But he cautions against the temptation to relinquish thisconception altogether. In opposition to the radical critics ofWestern philosophy, Habermas argues that postmetaphysical thinkingcan remain critical only if it preserves the idea of reason whilestripping it of its metaphysical trappings. Habermas contributes tothis task by developing further his distinctive approach toproblems of meaning, rationality and subjectivity. This book will be of particular interest to students ofphilosophy, sociology and social and political theory, and it willbe essential reading for anyone interested in the continuingdevelopment of Habermas's project.