Sedlighetens återkomst : Axel Honneths aktualisering av Hegels sedlighetsbegrepp

Sammanfattning: In this thesis I argue that the concept of actualization is a useful point of entry for understanding what the German philosopher Axel Honneth does in regard to the concept of ethical life [Sittlichkeit] from Hegel’s Philosophy of Right. Actualization can be understood as an a historical contextualization, which in this case entails using Hegel’s concept of ethical life to cast light on contemporary political and philosophical issues. Using a notion of social freedom, where individual freedom is understood in such a manner where it only can be realized in cooperation with others, Honneth actualizes ethical life as a society where institutions contain the norms and customs that make possible the realization of social freedom. With this understanding of ethical life Honneth uses his actualization for the purpose of critiquing the social order from a more sound and immanent perspective than those critiques based on abstract notions of right or morality. His actualization makes it possible to take the Hegelian notion of ethical life and turn it into a tool for critiquing current institution for not realizing the norms and customs that they immanently should. He can argue for a moral notion of the market where exchanges must be so that everyone benefits, and that strong trade unions and consumer cooperatives are necessary for this to be the case. Regarding the political situation his actualized notion of ethical life isused to expand upon the theory of deliberative democracy strengthening it through showing that social freedom is a requirement for it and that it cannot be realized only in the political sphere and must be realized throughout the entire ethical society. He thus compliments the theory of deliberative democracy with a broader notion including both the family and the market as necessary components. Concluding I argue that Honneth’s actualizations shows that it’s possible and a worthwhile endeavour to return to Hegel’s political philosophy and the notion of ethical life