Critical Theory, in its most innocent explanation, is an attempt to explore life through a
different lens, even an opposite lens, with an eye toward upending ill-conceived social norms.
Philosopher and professor David M. Rasmussen explains that “Critical theory is a
metaphor for a certain kind of theoretical orientation which owes its origin to Kant, Hegel and
Marx, its systematization to Horkheimer and his associates at the Institute for Social Research in
Frankfurt, and its development to successors, particularly to a group led by Jürgen Habermas…”
(Rasmussen 2012). In general, the term “critical theory” refers to “that critical element in
German philosophy, which began with Hegel’s critique of Kant” (Rasmussen 2012).
Author Claudio Corradetti notes that the traditional theory method focused on “coherency and on the
strict distinction between theory and praxis” (Corradetti n.d.). It was “grounded upon self-
evident propositions or, at least, upon propositions based on self-evident truths” in an objective
world (Corradetti n.d.). Traditional theory explained facts “by application of universal laws” and
required verification and confirmation through scientific investigation as a “particular to a
universal in order” (Corradetti n.d.). One must check whether … the stated fact occurs or not.
This implies that the condition of truth and falsehood presupposes an objective structure of the
world” (Corradetti n.d.). Knowledge as “simply a mirror of reality …is firmly rejected by critical
theorists” (Corradetti n.d.).
…Other social scientists view this “transformation of reality” as a destructive manipulation
of society – especially with the added threat of “transformative action.” Political Scientist Pierre
Manent states that “Today, something like a ‘religion of humanity’ has taken hold of supposedly
enlightened opinion and increasingly guides the judgments and actions, private or public, of
people in the West, especially in Europe” (Manent 2012). He does not believe this is just a
passing fashion, but a “large-scale project for governing the world through international rules
and institutions… so that nations, losing their character as sovereign political bodies, are
henceforth only regions of a world en route to globalization” (Manent 2012).
Socialism, Marxism and Critical Theory all purport to foster Utopian societies with ideal
laws, government, and social conditions
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