The philosopher as engaged citizen: Habermas on the role of the public intellectual in the modern democratic public sphere

Realists and supporters of ‘democratic underlabouring’ have recently challenged the traditional separation between political theory practice. Although both attack Jürgen Habermas for being an idealist whose philosophy is too removed from politics, I argue that this interpretation inaccurate. While Habermas’s social indeed oriented to truth understanding, he has sought realize his communicative conception democracy by increasing quality debate as a public intellectual. Building on approach, giving theorist direct role in policy undermines enterprise towards while overlooking contingency, participatory nature complicated internal logics My basic thesis understanding relationship practice overcomes these difficulties providing account independent but simultaneously also allows philosophers participate politics intellectuals.