Introduction to Critical Theory: Horkheimer to Habermas
by David Held
Introduction to Critical Theory by David Held traces the Frankfurt School's intellectual legacy from Horkheimer's dialectical critique to Habermas's theory of communicative rationality. It explores how these thinkers challenged domination and fostered emancipatory potential in society, offering essential insights for understanding modern philosophical debates.
About This Book
David Held's Introduction to Critical Theory provides an accessible overview of the Frankfurt School's contributions to modern thought. The book examines the evolution of critical theory as a framework for analyzing society, culture, and power structures.
Beginning with Horkheimer's foundational work, it covers major figures and their critiques of capitalism, enlightenment, and ideology. Held elucidates how critical theory seeks to emancipate individuals from oppressive conditions through rational discourse.
The text bridges early theorists like Adorno and Marcuse with later developments in Habermas's communicative action and discourse ethics. It highlights the ongoing relevance of these ideas in contemporary social theory.
Through clear exposition, the book makes complex concepts approachable for students and scholars alike, emphasizing critical theory's interdisciplinary impact on philosophy, sociology, and political science.
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