From "Historical Sociology" to the Theory of Social Evolution. Analysis and Critique of Habermas' Reflection on the Method of Reconstructive Sciences The paper aims to describe the development of Jürgen Habermas‘ reflection on the method of historical-social sciences. Directly methodological writings and sociological writings – in which the assumptions about the logic of discovery and the logic of confirmation can be inferred indirectly –will be analyzed. In particular, it is necessary to reconstruct the transition from the perspective of ―historical sociology‖, formulated in Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit (1962) and again followed in Zur Logik der Sozialwissenschaften (1967), to the approach of the ―theory of social evolution‖, which Habermas introduces as an exemplary case of ―reconstructive science‖ and elaborates in the three relevant studies of the Starnberg period (Legitimationsprobleme im Spätkapitalismus, 1973; Zur Rekonstruktion des Historischen Materialismus, 1976; Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns, 1981). Finally, the problematic methodological aspects of Habermasian‘s proposal regarding the relationship between social theory and historical research will be examined.
From "Historical Sociology" to the Theory of Social Evolution. Analysis and Critique of Habermas' Reflection on the Method of Reconstructive Sciences
Luca Corchia
2019-01-01
Abstract
From "Historical Sociology" to the Theory of Social Evolution. Analysis and Critique of Habermas' Reflection on the Method of Reconstructive Sciences The paper aims to describe the development of Jürgen Habermas‘ reflection on the method of historical-social sciences. Directly methodological writings and sociological writings – in which the assumptions about the logic of discovery and the logic of confirmation can be inferred indirectly –will be analyzed. In particular, it is necessary to reconstruct the transition from the perspective of ―historical sociology‖, formulated in Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit (1962) and again followed in Zur Logik der Sozialwissenschaften (1967), to the approach of the ―theory of social evolution‖, which Habermas introduces as an exemplary case of ―reconstructive science‖ and elaborates in the three relevant studies of the Starnberg period (Legitimationsprobleme im Spätkapitalismus, 1973; Zur Rekonstruktion des Historischen Materialismus, 1976; Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns, 1981). Finally, the problematic methodological aspects of Habermasian‘s proposal regarding the relationship between social theory and historical research will be examined.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
