Critical Theory & Frankfurt School

Question 1

Critical Theory Intro

Answer 1

Interdisciplinary (philosophy/psychology/sociology)
Influential Neo-marxist perspective
Associated with Institute for Social Research, Frankfurt
Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse
1933–went to US (Columbia), still wrote in German

Question 2

Critical Theory Intro: “Critical”

Answer 2

Emancipation through reason–Enlightenment has gone wrong, into rationality and bureaucracy as per Weber–recovering Enlightenment’s possibility of freedom

Question 3

Critical Theory Intro: Against Economic Reductionism

Answer 3

(just like Weber’s critique of Marx)
Emphasis on importance of culture–in “late capitalism”, capitalism has seeped into our culture–but it is its own realm, not able to be reduced to economics (as per Marx)

Question 4

Critical Theory Intro: Draws Upon More Than Marx

Answer 4

Pessimistic about capitalism ultimately failing (as per Marx)
Weber–instrumental rationality & “iron cage”
Freud–psychoanalysis–capitalism creates buried contradictions–pathological society–need to talk about it and find the cure

Question 5

Dialectic of Enlightenment: Intro

Answer 5

“The social, technological, scientific, and intellectual resources unleashed by the Enlightenment have resulted in domination, not emancipation”

Question 6

Dialectic of Enlightenment: Rationality vs Reason

Answer 6

example Auschwitz–instrumentally rational genocide, but not reasonable (human flourishing, dignity, respect, human rights)

Question 7

Dialectic of Enlightenment: Capitalism

Answer 7

Instrumental rationality as an end in itself

Invades our subjective lives (key to second generation like Habermas)–social relationships, cultural mode

Question 8

Dialectic of Enlightenment: Technology

Answer 8

Technology–any material advancement to get something done better
- mastery of environment
Appears neutral–but has view of social domination–towards ends of capitalism–“pleasant mode of social control” (ex Facebook)
Technological determinism–if it can be done, it ought to be done–ex gene editing
- determinism–we construct society–just because it can be done, doesn’t mean it should be

Question 9

Dialectic of Enlightenment: Culture Industry

Answer 9

Homogenization and Standardization of Ideas
State and market dominate culture–passive entertainment as bad, supports certain worldview, designed to pacify you buy making you buy more things
Pacification–make you feel good, stop you being an activist

Question 10

Dialectic of Enlightenment: The Knowledge Industry

Answer 10

Universities and research institutes adopt the methods of instrumental rationality
- Increasingly segregated and specialized, so no one sees big picture

Question 11

Dialectic of Enlightenment: Criticisms of Early Critical Theory

Answer 11

Relentless in its pessimisms–no revolution, just capitalism
Ideologically–inspired by New Left
Realistic?–should theory be grounded more empirically? Does this theory miss nuance and complexity
How to emancipate (beyond simply naming issues)

Question 12

Jurgen Habermas

Answer 12

Very influential
Second generation of critical theory
Public intellectual in Germany–also political theory & philosophy
Concerned that goal of Enlightenment rationality & human freedom are undermined in late capitalist society

Question 13

Jurgen Habermas: Legitimation Crisis

Answer 13

Book: 1975

Question 14

Jurgen Habermas: Legitimation Crisis: Stages of Capitalism

Answer 14

Liberal–laissez-faire (no state intervention)–but crises (via Marx) like inequality and 1929 ended that
Advanced/late capitalism–state and culture all have need to produce capital–partner with it and take the edge off it

Question 15

Jurgen Habermas: Legitimation Crisis: Steering Problems

Answer 15

Rational pursuit of profits as an end in itself produces sudden temporary crises that need be solved
Generates integration problems–state and culture are wrapped up in capitalism, so when it goes bad, the whole system goes with it

Question 16

Jurgen Habermas: Legitimation Crisis: Integration Problems

Answer 16

Must be solved by creating new “legitimations”

• political system must generate mass loyalty to capitalism
• creates politicization of capitalism in late/advanced capitalism (what will the gov do to fix it)

Question 17

Jurgen Habermas: Legitimation Crisis: The Lifeworld

Answer 17

(Our communities and personal lives)
Colonization of the lifeworld–ties it to phenomenology–state & economy invade the lifeworld
- Systemic/rational control of everyday life–instrumental rationality system invades value rationality (lifeworld), capitalism is a reason we talk about our day-to-day lives like “productivity,” etc

Question 18

Jurgen Habermas: The Theory of Communicative Action

Answer 18

1981, 1987

Question 19

Jurgen Habermas: The Theory of Communicative Action:

Answer 19

Communicative Action Critical to Human Nature–speech/communication of truth is species-being–species-being is not labor, as per Marx
Colonization of Lifeworld causes distorted communication–ex all TV is instrumental-rational action to win you over to their side–opposite of true communication
Discourse & “Ideal Speech” Situation–designed to reach consensus
- needs to be comprehensible
- reliable knowledge–aiming towards truth
- normative or values rightness
- sincerity

Question 20

Jurgen Habermas: The Theory of Communicative Action: Criticisms

Answer 20

Consensus vs compromise–we will have to compromise anyway cos the Enlightenment project has failed–Habermas hopes for a pluralistic society with a shared sense of value-rationality
Rationality–what about tradition and emotion?
The role of religion–integral to group identities, but Habermas didn’t think it was important

Question 21

Critical Theory Today

Answer 21

NOT mainstream–always critiquing mainstream
Resides at nexus of philosophy and sociology
Ideal for cultural criticisms of consumption, politics, reification of capitalism in various cultural forms, etc
Popular among some Christian academics