From Survival To Liberation:Cognitive Awareness And Interests In Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe is an English novel by Daniel Defoe and it has been studied extensively by experts and scholars.In this thesis,the author attempts to prove that Crusoe’s activities and inner changes on the desert island can be explained with Knowledge and Human Interests,a philosophical theory developed by German philosopher Jürgen Habermas early in his career.Based on Habermas’ theory,this thesis can be divided into three parts:Crusoe’s pursuit of technical interest that leads to reflection,his pursuit of practical interest that leads to cognitive awareness,and his pursuit of emancipatory interest leading to liberation.Crusoe’s struggle against nature is driven by his technical interest,which manifests as his inherent desire to conquer the nature’s blind control.Then this process makes Crusoe self-reflect on his viability and present life.Crusoe’s communication with nature,God and Friday on the desert island uproots his past perception of wealth and the meaning of life,and fundamentally changes his attitude towards other people.Such shifts in perception are realized through the pursuit of practical interest and the ultimate goal of this pursuit is mutual understanding and truth-seeking.Finally,Crusoe no longer desires to escape from the desert island because his rambling mind is finally at peace.He gains liberation both physically and mentally by pursuing his emancipatory interest.Robinson Crusoe was written at a time of rapid capitalist expansion.Created to represent the rise of the bourgeoisie,the protagonist of the novel,Crusoe,manages to transform his perception of wealth and the meaning of life through self-reflection underpinned by the pursuit of three key human interests.And a new form of relationship between man and nature as well as man and society emerges as a result.