Analyzing The Critical Theory Of Instrumental Rationality In Dialectics Of Enlightenment

The famous German philosopher Horkheimer and Adorno are the main representative of the Frankfunt School.The Dialectics of Enlightenment is also their representative works.In this book, he analysis and elaboration the Instrumental rationality critical theory.The first part of this thesis discusses the specific background and theoretical origin of the Instrumental rtionality critical theory. Horkheimer effectively combined Marx, Lukacs and others’ critical spirit, eventually formed the unique critical theory, that in advanced industrial society as the background. The Instrumental rationality critical theory in Dialectics of Enlightenment starts form the main line,which the relationship between man and nature, and the relation between enlightenmen and myth as the core, to perspective and analysis of the spirit of the Enlightenmen and its reflection criticism.Horkerheimer and Adorno were analyzed for the science and technology, while promoting scientific and technological progress and the development of industrial civilization, but it brings the issue can not be ingored, such as the deterioration of interpersonal realtionships between the natural and the generation of instrumental rationality hegenmony. Therefore, the front the second part of this thesis discourses the theoretical basis of instrumental rationality and its connotation features, the second half of yhe second part analysises the negative effects caused by instrumental rationality.On the critical theory of instrumental rationality in Dialectics of Enlightenment, it opened a new chapter in the history of capitalism critique and had an important historical significance. The last part of the thesis form the perspective of the theoretical and reality significance, making a detailed evaluations on instrumental rationality critical theory with Marxist point of views, hoping to benefit form it and proper using of science and technology, thus promoting the chain’s socialist modernization and comprehensiving hunman development.