Explorations of the Lebenswelt
reflections on Schutz and Habermas
pp. 21-26
in: Kurt Wolff (ed), Alfred Schütz, Berlin, Springer, 1984Abstract
No one doubts Schutz's contribution to the development of social theory and social philosophy. He was, indeed, a thinker of unique character and ability. My concern here is not to test the validity of Schutz's theory; history after all has made its judgment. Rather, my purpose will be to consider the extent to which that which Alfred Schutz began in social theory can be carried on. For purposes of analysis and comparison I shall characterize Schutz's contribution as threefold: first, his usage and development of phenomenological theory adapted from Husserl to account for the constitution of the social world; second, Schutz's account of the construction of the social world on the basis of face-to-face relations; and third, Schutz's critique of Weber. I should add that when I turn to a consideration of Habermas I shall reverse the order of analysis.
