Reflective disclosure
Encyclopedia
Reflective disclosure is a term coined by philosopher Nikolas Kompridis
. In his book Critique and Disclosure: Critical Theory between Past and Future, Kompridis describes a set of heterogeneous social practices he believes can be a source of significant ethical, political, and cultural transformation. Highlighting the work of theorists such as Hannah Arendt
, Charles Taylor
, Michel Foucault
and others, Kompridis calls such practices examples of "reflective disclosure" after Martin Heidegger's
insights into the phenomenon of world disclosure
. He also argues that social criticism or critique, and in particular critical theory
, ought to incorporate Heidegger's insights about this phenomenon and reorient itself around practices of reflective disclosure if it is, as he puts it, "to have a future worthy of its past".
Kompridis argues that much of what is today called "critical theory" has ignored the utopian concerns that previously animated that tradition, in favour of a Habermasian
self-understanding that restricts itself to clarifying the procedures by which we can reach agreement
in modern democratic societies. Reflective disclosure, by contrast, denotes practices through which we can imagine and articulate meaningful alternatives to current social and political conditions (for example, by uncovering possibilities that were previously suppressed or untried, or by refocusing a problem in a way that makes something previously unintelligible, intelligble) in order to regenerate hope and confidence in the future, offering new ways to "go on" differently.
These practices, according to Kompridis, constitute what Charles Taylor
calls a "new department" of reason
which is distinct from instrumental reason or reason understood merely as the "slave of the passions" (Hume
), and also from the idea of reason as public justification (Rawls
). In contrast to theories of social and political change that emphasize socio-historical "contradictions" (i.e., Marxist and neo-Marxist), and those that try to make sense of change in terms of processes that are outside the scope of human agency
, Kompridis' vision for critical theory, with reflective disclosure at the centre, is to help reopen the future by disclosing alternative possibilities for speech and action, self-critically expanding what he calls the normative and logical "space of possibility".
Nikolas Kompridis
Nikolas Kompridis is a professor at the Centre for Citizenship and Public Policy at the University of Western Sydney. His scholarly work addresses a wide range of subjects in contemporary social and political philosophy, as well as in aesthetics and philosophy of culture...
. In his book Critique and Disclosure: Critical Theory between Past and Future, Kompridis describes a set of heterogeneous social practices he believes can be a source of significant ethical, political, and cultural transformation. Highlighting the work of theorists such as Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt was a German American political theorist. She has often been described as a philosopher, although she refused that label on the grounds that philosophy is concerned with "man in the singular." She described herself instead as a political theorist because her work centers on the fact...
, Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor (philosopher)
Charles Margrave Taylor, is a Canadian philosopher from Montreal, Quebec best known for his contributions in political philosophy, the philosophy of social science, and in the history of philosophy. His contributions to these fields have earned him both the prestigious Kyoto Prize and the...
, Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
and others, Kompridis calls such practices examples of "reflective disclosure" after Martin Heidegger's
Martin Heidegger
Martin Heidegger was a German philosopher known for his existential and phenomenological explorations of the "question of Being."...
insights into the phenomenon of world disclosure
World disclosure
World disclosure is a phenomenon described by the German philosopher Martin Heidegger in his landmark book Being and Time. It has also been discussed by philosophers such as John Dewey, Jürgen Habermas and Charles Taylor...
. He also argues that social criticism or critique, and in particular critical theory
Frankfurt School
The Frankfurt School refers to a school of neo-Marxist interdisciplinary social theory, particularly associated with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt am Main...
, ought to incorporate Heidegger's insights about this phenomenon and reorient itself around practices of reflective disclosure if it is, as he puts it, "to have a future worthy of its past".
Kompridis argues that much of what is today called "critical theory" has ignored the utopian concerns that previously animated that tradition, in favour of a Habermasian
Jürgen Habermas
Jürgen Habermas is a German sociologist and philosopher in the tradition of critical theory and pragmatism. He is perhaps best known for his theory on the concepts of 'communicative rationality' and the 'public sphere'...
self-understanding that restricts itself to clarifying the procedures by which we can reach agreement
Communicative rationality
Communicative rationality, or communicative reason, is a theory or set of theories which describes human rationality as a necessary outcome of successful communication. In particular, it is tied to the philosophy of Karl-Otto Apel, Jürgen Habermas, and their program of universal pragmatics, along...
in modern democratic societies. Reflective disclosure, by contrast, denotes practices through which we can imagine and articulate meaningful alternatives to current social and political conditions (for example, by uncovering possibilities that were previously suppressed or untried, or by refocusing a problem in a way that makes something previously unintelligible, intelligble) in order to regenerate hope and confidence in the future, offering new ways to "go on" differently.
These practices, according to Kompridis, constitute what Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor (philosopher)
Charles Margrave Taylor, is a Canadian philosopher from Montreal, Quebec best known for his contributions in political philosophy, the philosophy of social science, and in the history of philosophy. His contributions to these fields have earned him both the prestigious Kyoto Prize and the...
calls a "new department" of reason
Reason
Reason is a term that refers to the capacity human beings have to make sense of things, to establish and verify facts, and to change or justify practices, institutions, and beliefs. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, ...
which is distinct from instrumental reason or reason understood merely as the "slave of the passions" (Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
), and also from the idea of reason as public justification (Rawls
John Rawls
John Bordley Rawls was an American philosopher and a leading figure in moral and political philosophy. He held the James Bryant Conant University Professorship at Harvard University....
). In contrast to theories of social and political change that emphasize socio-historical "contradictions" (i.e., Marxist and neo-Marxist), and those that try to make sense of change in terms of processes that are outside the scope of human agency
Human agency
In philosophy and sociology, agency is the capacity of an agent to act in a world. In philosophy, the agency is considered as belonging to that agent even if that agent represents a fictitious character, or some other non-existent entity...
, Kompridis' vision for critical theory, with reflective disclosure at the centre, is to help reopen the future by disclosing alternative possibilities for speech and action, self-critically expanding what he calls the normative and logical "space of possibility".
See also
- Critical theoryCritical theoryCritical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
- Frankfurt SchoolFrankfurt SchoolThe Frankfurt School refers to a school of neo-Marxist interdisciplinary social theory, particularly associated with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt am Main...
- Immanent critiqueImmanent critiqueImmanent critique is the philosophical or sociological strategy that analyzes cultural forms by locating contradictions in the rules and systems necessary to the production of those forms...
- Nikolas KompridisNikolas KompridisNikolas Kompridis is a professor at the Centre for Citizenship and Public Policy at the University of Western Sydney. His scholarly work addresses a wide range of subjects in contemporary social and political philosophy, as well as in aesthetics and philosophy of culture...
- World disclosureWorld disclosureWorld disclosure is a phenomenon described by the German philosopher Martin Heidegger in his landmark book Being and Time. It has also been discussed by philosophers such as John Dewey, Jürgen Habermas and Charles Taylor...
- "World disclosing" arguments