Reading Habermas

Arguing that Habermas' concept of modernity provides the context for a theory of language as well as his approach to law and ethics, Rasmussen aims to offer both a guide and critique to the later writings of Habermas and explore philosophical options chosen in the light of other rejected readings.

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In the past decade the work of Jurgen Habermas sparked off a series of debates over modernity and post-modernity, the nature of language, the interplay of law and politics and the dilemmas of morality. Significantly, these debates unfold in the context of his particular reading of the modern philosophical tradition from the German enlightment to the present period. In this original interpretation, David Rasmussen provides both guide and critique to the later Habermas encountered in the context of the best of the critical literature that has emerged in recent years. "Reading Habermas" argues that Habermas' concept of modernity provides the context for the theory of language as well as his approaches to law and ethics. This book explores philosophical options chosen in the light of other, rejected readings. It aims to be a distinctive, readable contribution to the current controversy surrounding the most recent developments in critical theory.