THE CONCEPT OF VALIDITY IN A THEORY OF SOCIAL ACTION/A REPLY

Discourse theory, as developed by Jurgen Habermas, may be assigned to two different theoretical mainstreams: to those varieties of linguistic philosophy which claim to be rightful heirs of traditional meta- physics, and to those parts of hermeneutic sociology which are concerned with the nature of social--and particularly communicative-- action. On the other hand, Alexy's discourse-theoretical conception of normative cognition is based on that of Habermas, but it is more obviously designed to be a theory of validity. Alexy takes discourse theory simply to be a procedural theory of practical correctness according to which a norm is correct or valid if it might be the result of a rational practical discourse. Basically, Alexy's argument resembles Habermas's: establishing a norm as valid requires performing a real discourse that lives up to the rules, which are constitutive of an ideal speech situation. Here, Heidemann inquires whether it is possible for the presuppositions of objective validity to guide action and participation in real discourses.