批判的社会知识何以可能?——伽达默尔-哈贝马斯诠释学论争与批判理论基础的重建

How is Critical Knowledge of Society Possible? :Debate between Gadamer and Habermas concerning Hermeneutics and Foundation Reconstruction of Critical Theory

批判理论自诞生之日就为自身存在的基础问题所困扰。早期批判理论家对待基础问题持一种消极的态度。直到哈贝马斯,批判理论的合法性才被认真地当作一个问题。在哈贝马斯通过对解放旨趣的论证为批判理论寻找到认识论基础之后,逻辑地确证批判与理性的内在关联就成为哈贝马斯重建批判理论基础工作的重点。与伽达默尔进行的有关诠释学的论战,是达成理性证成批判基础的关键步骤。从批判理论角度看,伽达默尔和哈贝马斯有关诠释学的争论至少部分地将诠释学的兴趣引向实践哲学,确认了批判与反思在构建社会知识中的必要性。借助批判理论的诠释学维度,哈贝马斯为交往行为理论最终完成“基础重建”清理了地基。

Critical theory ,since the very day it came into being,has begun to be puzzled by the problem of the foundation of its existence. Early critical theorists took a passive attitude toward the foundation problem. The legitimacy of critical theory was not regarded seriously as a problem until Habermas. After Habermas succeeded in his search of the epistemologieal foundation for critical theory through his demonstration concerning the emancipatory interest, proving positively the inherent connection between criticism and rationale logically became the focal point of his work of reconstructing the foundation of critical theory. His debate with Gadamer concerning hermeneutics was a key step leading to the rational justification of the foundation of critical theory. From the point of view of critical theory, the debate between Gadamer and Habermas concerning hermeneutics at least led the interest of hermeneutics to practical philosophy to some extent, and affirmed the necessity of criticism and reflexion in the construction of social knowledge. With the aid of the hermeneutic dimension of critical theory, Habermas cleared the ground for the final completion of ＂foundation reconstruction＂ of his communication theory.