Post-foundationalism, Systems Theory and the Impossibility of Critique

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    Abstract

    Should we drop critique just because of its impossibility? This chapter tries to find a way to eat the cake and have it too, insisting in the meaningfulness of having a critical practice taking as point of departure the impossibility of critique. First, we discuss the classical concept of critique and how it ran into problems as demonstrated in many post-foundational theories. Then, we present the work of Luhmann’s epistemology and its particular problematization of the lack of any stable foundation for critique. Finally, the chapter elaborates on how to respond to the challenges of a foundational critique without abandoning the ambition of committing to a critical sociology.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationDiscourse, Culture and Organization : Inquiries into Relational Structures of Power
    EditorsTomas Marttila
    Number of pages24
    Place of PublicationCham
    PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
    Publication date2019
    Pages343-366
    Chapter15
    ISBN (Print)9783319941226
    ISBN (Electronic)9783319941233
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2019
    SeriesPostdisciplinary Studies in Discourse

    Keywords

    • Post-foundationalism
    • Systems theory
    • Luhmann
    • Critique
    • Critical sociology

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