A defesa da modernidade em Jürgen Habermas: uma reconstrução a partir da incompreensão e da intenção da pós-modernidade

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the works of Jurgen Habermas (1929-) second phase in order to demonstrate the modernity defense that the heir of the Frankfurt School carries out when realizes the emergence of the post-modernity. According to him, the idea of a rupture with modern world is a mistake, representing, in fact, just an incomprehension about the meaning of modernity as consciousness of time, characterized by the problem of self-reassurance and the double process of social rationalizing, and the intention to depart from the project formulated by the Aufklärung. This dissertation will have as main reference the work O Discurso Filosófico da Modernidade (1985) and adjacent works like Pequenos Escritos Políticos V (1985) and A Teoria do Agir Comunicativo (1981). It having those works as theoric horizon, this research was organized in four chapters. In the first chapter, there is an exhibition of habermasian project for the construction of a society critical theory, defending the concept of emancipation and the modernity assumptions, as well as refusing vehemently the prefix “post” to define our historic period. The second chapter approaches the first aspect of habermasian criticism to post-modernity: the incomprehension, in other words, the fact that postmodern philosophers want to break away from the modern foundations, but still being stuck to them. It will be evident that the incomprehension is a fruit of a wrong modernity analysis that doesn’t consider the central problems pointed out by Hegel and Weber. After the characterization of modernity meaning, we will get into the third chapter, in which there is an exposition of the real intention that exists in attempt to break with modern world and how this attitude is relationed to the thoughts that prevail among Nietzsche and the heirs of Hegel. In conclusion, the fourth chapter resumes the way that Habermas intends to persist with the Aufklärung project through a change of paradigm that abandons the subject-centered philosophy and points out the one that is centered on communication and mutual agreement between individuals who are able to talk and act.