Jürgen Habermas said this quote

“ From the structure of language comes the explanation of why the human spirit is condemned to an odyssey - why it first finds its way to itself only on a detour via a complete externalization in other things and in other humans. Only at the greatest distance from itself does it become conscious of itself in its irreplaceable singularity as an individuated being. ”

Famous Quotes of Jürgen Habermas

Famous quotes of Jürgen Habermas from the classy quote

See all

The scientistic faith in a science that will one day not only fulfill, but eliminate, personal self-conception through objectifying self-description is not science, but bad philosophy.

~ Jürgen Habermas

Jürgen Habermas Common Sense Human Nature Philosophy Science Scientism

Freedom may never be conceived merely negatively, as the absence of compulsion. Freedom conceived intersubjectively distinguishes itself from the arbitrary freedom of the isolated individual. No one is free until we are all free.

~ Jürgen Habermas

Jürgen Habermas Freedom Individualism Justice Solidarity

Only by externalization, by entering into social relationships, can we develop the interiority of our own person.

~ Jürgen Habermas

Jürgen Habermas Philosophy Relationships Self

[Jürgen Habermas' obituary to friend and philosopher, Richard Rorty]One small autobiographical piece by Rorty bears the title 'Wild Orchids and Trotsky.' In it, Rorty describes how as a youth he ambled around the blooming hillside in north-west New Jersey, and breathed in the stunning odour of the orchids. Around the same time he discovered a fascinating book at the home of his leftist parents, defending Leon Trotsky against Stalin. This was the origin of the vision that the young Rorty took with him to college: philosophy is there to reconcile the celestial beauty of orchids with Trotsky's dream of justice on earth. Nothing is sacred to Rorty the ironist. Asked at the end of his life about the 'holy', the strict atheist answered with words reminiscent of the young Hegel: 'My sense of the holy is bound up with the hope that some day my remote descendants will live in a global civilization in which love is pretty much the only law.

~ Jürgen Habermas

Jürgen Habermas Atheism Atheist Autobiography Death Descendants Earth Global Civilization Hegel Holy Hope Inspirational Ironist Joseph Stalin Justice Law Leon Trotsky Love Obituary Orchids Philosophy Richard Rorty Richard Rorty Obituary Sacred Stalin Strict Atheist Trotsky