The Pathologies of Individual Freedom: Hegel's Social Theory

by Axel Honneth, Ladislaus Löb (Translator)

This is a penetrating reinterpretation and defense of Hegel's social theory as an alternative to reigning liberal notions of social justice. The eminent German philosopher Axel Honneth rereads Hegel's "Philosophy of Right" to show how it diagnoses the pathologies of the overcommitment to individual freedom that Honneth says underlies the ideas of Rawls and Habermas alike. Honneth argues that Hegel's theory contains an account of the psychological damage caused by placing too much emphasis on personal and moral freedom. Although these freedoms are crucial to the achievement of justice, they are insufficient and in themselves leave people vulnerable to loneliness, emptiness, and depression. Hegel argues that people must also find their freedom or "self-realization" through shared projects. Such projects involve the three institutions of ethical life--family, civil society, and the state--and provide the arena of a crucial third kind of freedom, which Honneth calls "communicative" freedom. A society is just only if it gives all of its members sufficient and equal opportunity to realize communicative freedom as well as personal and moral freedom.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Axel Honneth (born July 18, 1949) is a professor of philosophy at both the University of Frankfurt and Columbia University. He is also director of the Institut für Sozialforschung (Institute for Social Research) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Honneth's work focuses on social-political and moral philosophy, especially relations of power, recognition, and respect. One of his core arguments is for the priority of intersubjective relationships of recognition in understanding social relations. This includes non- and mis-recognition as a basis of social and interpersonal conflict. For instance, grievances regarding the distribution of goods in society are ultimately struggles for recognition.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the author's proclaimed reaction to the dominant tendency of political philosophy, namely, a "return to Kant" driven in particular by Jürgen Habermas and John Rawls, which leads to very formal conceptions of political philosophy. Axel Honneth shows that it is not only possible but also desirable to reintroduce Hegel's political thought into the debates that animate contemporary political and social theory. In his view, it allows a social contextualization of the principles of justice and offers an institutional framework to the abstract principles of modern law and morality. He proposes a radically new interpretation of the Philosophy of Right, the main work of political philosophy written by Hegel. This updating makes it possible to determine the role and to delimit the place of law in social functioning. Above all, in a context of increasing individualisation of contemporary societies, it makes it possible to fully recognize the principle of modern individualism, but also to identify and correct its pathological drifts. Bonus – reading Honneth makes one feel like they finally understand Hegel :) Much clarity.

[R. S. Alamsyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readings of Hegel seem to generally tout themselves as shedding a light onto what his philosophy 'actually' stood for. Here, Honneth tries to show what Hegel's philosophy *could've* been.

Simultaneously hailing and critiquing Hegel's social theory, he tries to show how it can be reinterpreted to fit democratic principles. Hegel's innovation, for Honneth, lies im his theory of recognition and the intersubjective nature of the spheres of ethical life. What he disagrees with, however, is Hegel's insistent Institutionalism, which he thinks is sorely lacking the potential of the realization of freedom through the democratic participation of citizens within a republic.

[Elaine]

chapter 1 chapter 3 ethical life as normative theory of modernity