Traditional Theory vs Critical Theory: Horkheimer

About this video

• Video Title: Traditional Theory vs Critical Theory: Horkheimer
• Channel: Popular Philosophy
• Speakers: None explicitly named in the transcript, but likely a single narrator.
• Duration: 00:09:22

Overview

This video introduces Max Horkheimer and his foundational role in critical theory. It explains the core problem that critical theory seeks to address: why modern, advanced societies still generate anxiety, inequality, and suffering. The video contrasts "traditional theory," which views knowledge as neutral and detached, with "critical theory," which emphasizes that knowledge is shaped by social and historical contexts and is oriented towards human flourishing and emancipation. It highlights Horkheimer's critique of instrumental reason and the role of ideology in obscuring domination.

Key takeaways

• Modern Society's Paradox: Despite advancements in education, technology, and information, modern societies still produce significant anxiety, inequality, and suffering. This paradox is the starting point for critical theory.
• Traditional vs. Critical Theory: Traditional theory treats knowledge as objective and detached from society, similar to natural sciences. Critical theory argues that social theories are inherently embedded in historical and social contexts and should aim for human flourishing and emancipation, not just explanation.
• Critique of Instrumental Reason: Horkheimer argued that reason has become increasingly instrumentalized, focusing on efficiency, profit, and control rather than on ethics or the question of what constitutes a life worth living.
• Role of Ideology: Critical theory aims to reveal how ideology makes social domination appear natural and inevitable, thereby preventing its recognition and challenging.
• Emancipatory Aim: Unlike traditional theory, critical theory is not merely descriptive but actively seeks to facilitate social change by making contradictions visible and refusing to accept a society that generates unnecessary suffering.