The inherently democratic nature of technology assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 702-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Grunwald
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
John Dewey ◽  
Neutral Position ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Jurgen Habermas ◽  
Nature Of Technology ◽  
Historical Observation

Abstract Technology assessment (TA) emerged more than fifty years ago to provide information supply, decision support, and orientation for democratic processes and institutions in many democratic countries. This historical observation alone, however, does not justify speaking of an inherent relationship between TA and democracy. The latter requires taking a conceptual view. Arguments supporting the thesis of the inherently democratic nature of TA will be given based on pragmatist approaches developed by John Dewey and Jürgen Habermas. This perspective on TA has specific implications for the inclusion of the knowledge and perspectives of stakeholders, people affected and citizens involved in TA processes, as well as the necessity to develop or strengthen thinking in alternative options. Furthermore, it makes clear that in the current crisis of democracy in many countries, TA cannot take a distant and neutral position.

scholarly journals Los usos del pragmatismo o cómo hacer sociología con filosofía

2017 ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Philippe Schaffhauser
Keyword(s):  
Social Action ◽  
John Dewey ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Jurgen Habermas ◽  
The Social ◽  
Participative Approach ◽  
Siglo Xix ◽  
The Many

Resumen:El pragmatismo y la sociología son, por decirlo así, primos hermanos ya que fueron engendrados en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX por la modernidad y la imperiosa necesidad de contrastar procesos sociales y económicos mediante una postura científica, crítica y participativa. Sin embargo este lazo de parentesco no significa que en la actualidad se haya dado una relación real a través de la constitución por ejemplo de un programa sociológico de corte pragmatista. La tradición pragmatista no es sino una fuente entre muchas otras para el pensamiento de autores tan diversos como son Jürgen Habermas y David Bloor. Lo único que encontramos cuando se revisan las fuentes son contados casos de acercamiento teórico entre ambas miradas y formas de acción, esto es, mediante textos de Emilio Durkheim (1913-1914), Charles W. Mills (1968) y hoy día con Hans Joas (1998 y 2002). En este artículo se pretende discutir sobre los posibles aportes del pensamiento pragmatista para la reflexión sociológica, los cuales giran en torno a buscar soluciones a problemas metodológicos-teóricos. En este sentido la concepción “práctica” de la realidad social como un proceso continuo y situado en un espacio “plástico” o, conforme a G.H. Mead y John Dewey, el re-planteamiento del concepto de acción social como “acción creadora culturalmente situada” pueden ser de gran interés para ampliar las perspectivas de la reflexión sociológica.Palabras clave: Sociología, Pragmatismo, Acción Creadora, Creencia y Continuidades.AbstractPragmatism and sociology are sort of first-cousins as both emerged from modernity in the second half of the nineteenth century, upon the need to contrast social processes with economic ones from a scientific, critical and participative approach. However, this does not mean there is currently a real link between the two of them given by, for instance, the development of a sociological programme based on pragmatism. The pragmatic tradition is only one of the many other sources for various thinkers like Jürgen Habermas and David Bloor. The only theoretical link and ways of action connecting these two disciplines are given in cases such as Emilio Durkheim (1913-1914), Charles W. Mills (1968) and nowadays Hans Joas (1998 and 2002).  This article aims at discussing about the potential contributions of the pragmatic thought to the sociological one in order to find answers to methodological and theoretical problems. In this sense, the "practical" conception of the social reality as a continuous process placed in a "plastic" space, as stated by G.H Mead and John Dewey, reshaping the social action concept as a "creative action culturally placed" may be of help to expand sociological perspectives.Key words: sociology; pragmatism; creative action; belief and continuities

scholarly journals Technikfolgenabschätzung und Demokratie

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-45
Author(s):  
Armin Grunwald
Keyword(s):  
John Dewey ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Jurgen Habermas ◽  
Deliberative Demokratie

Die TA ist vor über 50 Jahren zur Unterstützung demokratischer Meinungsbildung und Entscheidungsfindung entstanden und hat sich seitdem in demokratisch verfassten Gesellschaften entwickelt. Dies ist freilich eine bloß historisch-empirische Feststellung. Im Licht einer Theorie der TA stellt sich hingegen die Frage, ob und inwieweit es zwischen TA und Demokratie nicht nur eine historisch kontingente, sondern eine systematisch notwendige Verbindung gibt. In diesem Beitrag wird unter Bezug auf gesellschaftstheoretische Arbeiten von John Dewey und Jürgen Habermas die These vertreten, dass TA und – insbesondere deliberative – Demokratie grundsätzlich verbunden sind. Dies hat Implikationen für die soziale wie epistemische Inklusion von Stakeholdern, Betroffenen und Bürger/innen in TA-Prozesse, aber auch für ihre Positionierung in aktuellen Krisen der Demokratie.

scholarly journals EDUCAÇÃO NA E PARA A DEMOCRACIA NO BRASIL: CONSIDERAÇÕES A PARTIR DE J. DEWEY E J. HABERMAS

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (136) ◽  
pp. 873-889
Author(s):  
Guilherme Perez Cabral
Keyword(s):  
John Dewey ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Jurgen Habermas

RESUMO: O artigo tem por objetivo a reflexão sobre a educação para a democracia, no âmbito do Estado Democrático de Direito, no Brasil, fundamentando-a na filosofia social do pragmatista norte-americano John Dewey e do representante da "segunda geração" da Escola de Frankfurt, Jürgen Habermas. À luz do conceito de discurso e de seu potencial de aprendizagem racional, cognitiva e moral, propõe hermenêutica enriquecida do projeto constitucional de 1988, em que, superando o passado autoritário brasileiro, educação e democracia constituam experiências comunicativas indissociáveis na realização do projeto moderno de emancipação.

scholarly journals Los usos del pragmatismo o cómo hacer sociología con filosofía

2017 ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Philippe Schaffhauser
Keyword(s):  
Social Action ◽  
John Dewey ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Jurgen Habermas ◽  
The Social ◽  
Participative Approach ◽  
Siglo Xix ◽  
The Many

Resumen:El pragmatismo y la sociología son, por decirlo así, primos hermanos ya que fueron engendrados en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX por la modernidad y la imperiosa necesidad de contrastar procesos sociales y económicos mediante una postura científica, crítica y participativa. Sin embargo este lazo de parentesco no significa que en la actualidad se haya dado una relación real a través de la constitución por ejemplo de un programa sociológico de corte pragmatista. La tradición pragmatista no es sino una fuente entre muchas otras para el pensamiento de autores tan diversos como son Jürgen Habermas y David Bloor. Lo único que encontramos cuando se revisan las fuentes son contados casos de acercamiento teórico entre ambas miradas y formas de acción, esto es, mediante textos de Emilio Durkheim (1913-1914), Charles W. Mills (1968) y hoy día con Hans Joas (1998 y 2002). En este artículo se pretende discutir sobre los posibles aportes del pensamiento pragmatista para la reflexión sociológica, los cuales giran en torno a buscar soluciones a problemas metodológicos-teóricos. En este sentido la concepción “práctica” de la realidad social como un proceso continuo y situado en un espacio “plástico” o, conforme a G.H. Mead y John Dewey, el re-planteamiento del concepto de acción social como “acción creadora culturalmente situada” pueden ser de gran interés para ampliar las perspectivas de la reflexión sociológica.Palabras clave: Sociología, Pragmatismo, Acción Creadora, Creencia y Continuidades.AbstractPragmatism and sociology are sort of first-cousins as both emerged from modernity in the second half of the nineteenth century, upon the need to contrast social processes with economic ones from a scientific, critical and participative approach. However, this does not mean there is currently a real link between the two of them given by, for instance, the development of a sociological programme based on pragmatism. The pragmatic tradition is only one of the many other sources for various thinkers like Jürgen Habermas and David Bloor. The only theoretical link and ways of action connecting these two disciplines are given in cases such as Emilio Durkheim (1913-1914), Charles W. Mills (1968) and nowadays Hans Joas (1998 and 2002).  This article aims at discussing about the potential contributions of the pragmatic thought to the sociological one in order to find answers to methodological and theoretical problems. In this sense, the "practical" conception of the social reality as a continuous process placed in a "plastic" space, as stated by G.H Mead and John Dewey, reshaping the social action concept as a "creative action culturally placed" may be of help to expand sociological perspectives.Key words: sociology; pragmatism; creative action; belief and continuities

scholarly journals Comunicação e Lebenswelt, racionalidade e experiência estética: uma discussão interdisciplinar e pragmatista

2017 ◽  
pp. 106-118
Author(s):  
Michael Manfred Hanke
Keyword(s):  
John Dewey ◽  
William James ◽  
Alfred Schutz ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Ernst Cassirer ◽  
Jurgen Habermas ◽  
Alfred Schütz

Resumo Este artigo pretende discutir a tríade comunicação, racionalidade e experiência estética no contexto do Lebenswelt (mundo da vida), que é essencial para a condição social do ser humano e sua cultura. Enquanto a racionalidade tem sido um dos grandes temas da filosofia desde o início da antiguidade grega – e o termo latim ratio traduz, em conjunto com oratio, o grego λόγος (lógos) –, a atenção dada à comunicação e à experiência estética, como em Alfred Schütz e William James, é mais recente, assim como a racionalidade comunicativa de Jürgen Habermas. O texto tenta desenvolver enfrentamentos e uma discussão entre esses autores e outros como John Dewey, Ernst Cassirer e Vilém Flusser, baseados numa perspectiva pragmatista e fenomenológica do Lebenswelt, que é visto como uma rede produzida pelas trocas simbólicas e comunicativas.

scholarly journals BASES TEÓRICAS DE PENSAMENTO CRÍTICO NA ENFERMAGEM IBERO-AMERICANA: REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA DA LITERATURA

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvana Ceolin ◽  
José Siles González ◽  
Maria del Carmen Solano Ruiz ◽  
Rita Maria Heck
Keyword(s):  
John Dewey ◽  
Paulo Freire ◽  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Jurgen Habermas

RESUMO Objetivo: identificar as bases teóricas que fundamentam os conceitos de pensamento crítico na enfermagem ibero-americana nos últimos dez anos. Método: revisão integrativa de literatura realizada nas bases de dados PubMed, CUIDEN e SciELO, entre 2006 e 2015, com as palavras-chave enfermagem e pensamento crítico. Resultados: foram incluídos 32 estudos, que revelaram a presença de nove pensadores como bases teóricas do conceito de pensamento crítico. Constatou-se que não há uniformidade para a definição do conceito; contudo, diferenciam-se duas concepções de pensamento crítico entre os autores, que foram organizadas em dois grupos. O grupo A, composto por Alfaro-Lefevre, Peter Facione, Scheffer e Rubenfeld, Richard Paul; autores que compreendem que o pensamento crítico envolve habilidades para raciocínio clínico e diagnóstico, essencial à tomada de decisões, e o grupo B, constituído por John Dewey, Donald Schön, Paulo Freire e Jürgen Habermas, que entendem o pensamento crítico como um processo ativo e reflexivo, voltado ao desenvolvimento da consciência crítica. Esses pensadores foram base para a proposta de instrumentos de avaliação do pensamento, estratégias de ensino e um referencial teórico-metodológico para a enfermagem. Conclusão: a perspectiva dinâmica do grupo B fortalece o caráter dialético da construção do conhecimento, a partir do qual a enfermagem tem potencial de construir-se como uma ciência social e prática, comprometida com a transformação de realidades.

scholarly journals Technology Assessment and Democracy: Intrinsic or Contingent Relation?

TECHNOLOGOS ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 18-26
Author(s):  
Grunwald Armin
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Deliberative Democracy ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Science And Society ◽  
Western Democracy ◽  
The Social ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Historical Observation ◽  
Communist Countries

Technology assessment has been established more than 50 years ago to provide information and decision support for democratic processes and institutions and has evolved in democratic countries over the years. However, this is merely an empirical and historical observation. In a theoretical perspective on TA, the question has to be raised if there is also an intrinsic and systematic relation between TA and democracy beyond their historical and contingent connection. TA is a child of Western democracy, and it is oriented in its development towards democratic ideals, while nothing like this could have been in the early communist countries and other dictatorships. In reality, TA practice is not free from some forms of coercion, it is at the epicenter of contradictions and power struggles, is a plaything in the hands of conflicting lobbying groups, and depends on the alignment of party and political forces in parliamentary structures. Usually, arguments are tactically used by stakeholders to create an advantage and advance their own position, rather than to support the search for the best solutions. It is necessary to work on improving the empirical conditions. By dealing with the consequences of technology in an inclusive, transparent and scientifically based approach, TA creates and improves the conditions themselves. In this paper I will argued that TA is inherently related with – in particular deliberative – democracy. Arguments will be based on pragmatist approaches to science and society developed by John Dewey and Jürgen Habermas. Positioning TA in close neighborhood to democracy has consequences for the social as well as the epistemic inclusion of stakeholders, people affected, and citizens in TA processes. It also must be taken seriously in determining TA’s position in the current crises of democracy.

Jürgen Habermas on the Way to a Postmetaphysical Reading of Kierkegaard

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Klaus Viertbauer
Keyword(s):  
Jürgen Habermas ◽  
Jurgen Habermas ◽  
Cooperative Venture ◽  
The Way

Habermas’s postmetaphysical reading of Kierkegaard is paradigmatic for his understanding of religion. It shows, why Habermas reduces religion to fideism. Therefore the paper reconstructs Habermas’s reception of Kierkegaard and compares it with the accounts of Dieter Henrich and Michael Theunissen. Furthermore it demonstrates how Habermas makes use of Kierkegaard’s dialectics of existence to formulate his postmetaphysical thesis of a cooperative venture.

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