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Beyond universalism and relativism: Habermas's contribution to discourse ethics and its implications for intercultural ethics and organization theory

Philosophy and Organization Theory

ISBN: 978-0-85724-595-3, eISBN: 978-0-85724-596-0

Publication date: 7 February 2011

Abstract

Jürgen Habermas is one of the most important authors in contemporary philosophy. In this chapter, we analyse his contribution to the philosophical debate on universalism and relativism and consider its implications for organization studies and organizations operating in an intercultural environment. We briefly describe the critique of a universal concept of reason that has been forwarded by sceptical and postmodern philosophers. As a response to this critique, we outline the contribution of discourse ethics and analyse the theories of Jürgen Habermas and his colleague Karl-Otto Apel. We explore the justification of discourse ethics and point out some problems in its argumentative logic. In the light of this critique, we outline some characteristics of an intercultural ethics that is based on constructivist philosophy and point to some encouraging prospects on the consolidation of the debate between relativistic and universalistic philosophers.

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Citation

Georg Scherer, A. and Patzer, M. (2011), "Beyond universalism and relativism: Habermas's contribution to discourse ethics and its implications for intercultural ethics and organization theory", Tsoukas, H. and Chia, R. (Ed.) Philosophy and Organization Theory (Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Vol. 32), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 155-180. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X(2011)0000032008

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited