Revising Weberian Theory of Rationalisation from the Perspective of Critical Phenomenology
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Max Weber's theory of rationalisation, while highlighting the comprehensive de-mystifying and intellectualising of the world, also acknowledged its limitations. He identified islands of formal rationality as emerging amidst persistent and _ungovernable irrationality_. This paper explores how critical theory built upon Weber's ideas, often aiming to complete the rationalisation process and eliminate irrationality in political and economic spheres. However, this interpretive strategy oriented to correct the Weberian focus on the constitution of authority by force of knowledge by insisting on the authority of rationalised knowledge might overlook its _standpoint of observers_. The paper proposes revisiting critical theory's relationship to phenomenology, emphasising _embodied experience_ as a potential alternative. By investigating how individuals encounter and make sense of the world around them, phenomenology can offer a more nuanced understanding of _authority_ and the _limits of rationalisation_. It can complement the observer's narrative of societal change with the richness of _lived experience_, providing a deeper understanding of how individuals navigate the tensions between rationalisation and its "irrational" residues. |
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