<p>"This collection of superbly translated essays demonstrates once again that Axel Honneth is not only an academic philosopher of the first rank but also a public intellectual of international significance. The astounding range of essays included here – on topics from the contradictions in our understanding of childhood to the history of European solidarity to the relation between education and democracy – will be of supreme interest to philosophers and non-philosophers alike who have some inkling of the poverty of both our dominant conceptions of freedom and of the social institutions that are grounded in them."<br />—<b>Frederick Neuhouser, Barnard College, Columbia University</b></p> <p>"These powerful and incisive essays are a major contribution to the contemporary struggle against fetishized conceptions of individual freedom. Their relevance in a world trying desperately to escape the impasse of neoliberalism is clear."<br />—<b>Raymond Geuss, Professor (Emeritus), University of Cambridge</b></p> <p>"Honneth's writing is excellent, and he presents conceptually dense topics in an accessible manner."<br />—<b><i>Filozofia<br /></i></b></p> This collection stands as a powerful demonstration of Honneth’s lasting scholarly legacy, offering invaluable insights into the enduring relevance of critical theory in navigating the complexities of modern society. "This collection stands as a powerful demonstration of Honneth’s lasting scholarly legacy, offering invaluable insights into the enduring relevance of critical theory in navigating the complexities of modern society."<br />—<b><i>Contemporary Political Theory</i></b> <p><b><i><br /><br /></i></b></p>
In his new book, Axel Honneth shows that we still have a lot to learn from the tradition of philosophy about a rational concept of freedom. Honneth begins by re-examining the work of Hegel and Marx in order to clarify the concept of freedom. He then explores various social problem areas in which the ideals of freedom are directly confronted by contemporary obstacles. Honneth ends by examining potential forces which could give new impetus to our struggle for freedom.
This new book by one of the leading social and political philosophers writing today will be of great interest to students and scholars of philosophy, political theory, social theory, and the social sciences and humanities generally.
Preface
Part I: Forms of Social Freedom
1. The Depths of Recognition
The legacy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
2. On the Poverty of Our Freedom
Relevance and limits of the Hegelian ethical system
3. The Normativity of Ethical Life
4. Hegel and Marx
A reassessment after one century
5. Economy or Society?
The greatness and limits of Marx’s theory of capitalism
6. Three, Not Two Concepts of Liberty
A proposal to enlarge our moral self-understanding
Part II: Deformations of Social Freedom
7. The Diseases of Society
Approaching a nearly impossible concept
8. Education and the Democratic Public Sphere
A neglected chapter of political philosophy
9. Democracy and the Division of Labour
A blind spot in political philosophy
10. Childhood
Inconsistencies in our liberal imagination
Part III. Sources of Social Freedom
11. Denaturalizations of the Lifeworld
On the threefold use of the humanities
12. Is There an Emancipatory Interest?
An attempt to answer critical theory's most fundamental question
13. A History of Moral Self-Correction
Tracing European solidarity
Notes
Index