J?rgen Habermas - Theory and Practice

Contents

Theory and Practice is an abridgment by the author of the fourth edition of Theorie und Praxis published in 1971 by Suhrkamp Verlag to which he has added Arbeit und Interaktion from Technik und Wissenschaftals Ideologie published by Suhrkamp Verlag.

English translation 1973 by Beacon Press

German text: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 1963 by Hermann Luchterhand Verlag GmbH; Chapter 5 1966 by Suhrkamp Verlag; Chapter 6 1968 by Suhrkamp Verlag; and Introduction 1971 by Suhrkamp Verlag

First published 1988 by Polity Press in association with Blackwell Publishers Ltd.

Reprinted 1996, 2004, 2007

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Translator's Note on German Terms

The difficulties which spring from the fact that crucial terms in German have a quite different range of meaning and connotation from any of the available English equivalents will not be unfamiliar to anyone who has occupied himself with German philosophy, social theory, or psychology. The glossary below is intended to recall some of the main problems that arise as a consequence and to explain the usage adopted in this translation.

AnschauungEnglish translations of Kant have established intuition as the equivalent English term, which raises the problem that this English word has connotations quite different from Kants intention of reference to the processes of sense perception inner and outerand their product. In many contexts, such as Weltanschauung, simply view has seemed preferable, or even, in some cases, sense perception or perceiving.

Anthropologisch, Anthropologiethe philosophical theory of man and not the science of anthropology as it has developed largely in the twentieth century.

Brger, brgerlichBrger means burgher (townsman) and also citizen: thus amerikanischer Staatsbrger = citizen of the United States. Furthermore, especially in the Marxist tradition, both noun and adjective have taken on the meaning of the English loanword bourgeois. The meaning range of the adjective is even wider. Thus, brgerliches Recht can mean either bourgeois law or civil law or both.

Dezision, also EntscheidungDezision generally used in the context of Dezisionismus, an existentialist approach stressing the reaching of a decision rather than its content, and associated in Germany with National Socialist ideology. As the emphasis implies arriving at a pure and uncritical commitment, it seemed preferable, in various contexts, to translate Dezision as commitment.

Entaussern, Entusserunggenerally, to externalize, exter-nalization; but also: sich entussernself-alienation.

Erlebnisthere are two German words meaning experience: Erlebnis and the more abstract and general Erfahrung; with its root leben (live) Erlebnis therefore has the connotation of life-experience, an experience through which the subject has lived.

Geisteswissenschaftthe difficulty here is related to the familiar problem of translating Geist. Geisteswissenschaft, literally the mental or spiritual sciences. It has been translated variously as humanities, sciences of man, social sciences, etc. In Knowledge and Human Interest as cultural sciences.

Mndigkeitliterally majority in the sense legally of age. For Kant mankinds majority is the historical goal of enlightenment (in What Is Enlightenment?). To preserve this developmental connotation I have generally preferred mature autonomy.

Naturrecht, RechtasRecht means both right and law (in the legal sense), so Naturrecht can be translated as either natural right or natural law. I have generally preferred the latter, as in the tradition treated the association of natural law with law of nature is important. The German term, of course, does not have this connotation. So too Rechtszustand (legal order), Rechtspflege (jurisprudence), Staatsrecht (constitutional law), etc.

Objektivierenobjectivate, objectivation; to give form in a symbolic system, that is, to make into a vehicle for communicative action. The latter may become external to the subject in the sense that others participate in it, but it is at the same time that in which the subject exists (J. J. Shapiro in Knowledge and Human Interest, footnote 23 to chapter 2).

Praxisthe title Theorie und Praxis has been rendered Theory and Practice, as practice in this direct juxtaposition to theory clearly gives the meaning of the German word. However, in English practice has a different range of meaning; therefore, in other contexts praxis was preferred, as it seemed to me that clarity and accessibility would outweigh the danger of using a term the meaning of which is to be explored in the work itself.

Schein has a very large range of meaningappearance, illusion, shining (as a light); generally semblance seemed the preferable translation.

Sozialstaatliterally social state, but actually the equivalent of welfare state in our usage.

Verhaltenbehavior, conduct, comportment; the latter two equivalents have been preferred where the connection with a specific approach which behavior has acquired was to be avoided.

Vorstellungusually representation in the English rendering of Kantian terminology; I have generally preferred the more ordinary meaning conception.

Willensbildungliterally formation of the will, but associated (a) with the concept of the general or public will, and (b) Bildung as formation, education, cultivation. Decision making thus represents the same process, but with a somewhat different conceptual background.

Zerstreuungmeans not only dispersal but also amusement, diversion.

Further remarks on terminology can be found in Jeremy J. Shapiros Translators Preface to Habermas, Toward a Rational Society, and throughout the notes to Knowledge and Human Interest (again translated by Shapiro).

I am very much indebted to Jeremy J. Shapiro for numerous suggestions and emendations which greatly improved the clarity and accuracy of the translation. I also want to express my gratitude to Lois M. Randall, whose patience, competence, and good taste contributed so much in the editing of the text.

John Viertel