Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The
introduction to the Ideology of Metrics

k 2023

Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The introduction to the Ideology of Metrics

HAVLÍČEK, Tomáš

Basic information

Original name

Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The introduction to the Ideology of Metrics

Name in Czech

Kritika instrumentálního rozumu pro 21. století - úvod do ideologie metrik

Authors

HAVLÍČEK, Tomáš

Edition

2nd Nomos Conference: After Neoliberalism? Constitution, Democracy, and Capitalism, 2023

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Prezentace na konferencích

Field of Study

50501 Law

Country of publisher

Sweden

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Organization unit

Faculty of Law

Keywords in English

ideology; metrics; judicial decision-making; critical theory; rationality; reason; Horkheimer

Abstract

V originále

In the milieu of legal theory, especially critical legal theory, one can no longer deny the unprecedented influence of ideology on the legal system, judicial decision-making, and thought itself. Thus, if we accept the reflection on the influence of ideology on legal thinking, we have to reflect on what ideas play a dominant role in our society. For this reason, I want to return to the "critique" as represented in the past by the so-called Frankfurt School. The object of criticism by sociologists such as Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer was the idea of so-called instrumental reason, which was developed in works such as Eclipse of Reason. The Frankfurt School thinkers were critical of the rationality and pragmatism that drove this instrumental reason. I believe that there is a dominant trend in contemporary social thought, which we can call “the ideology of metrics”, where mathematically cold justifications enter into considerations of social relations, the purpose and intent of which is to create an impenetrable dam that prevents the application of constructive criticism. This ideology of metrics is driven by similar considerations to rationality and pragmatism in the very subject of Frankfurt School critique. Therefore, in my view, it is possible to grasp this doctrine that preceded critical legal theory in order to still prove the relevance and necessity of CLS in opposition to the pervasive ideology of metrics.

Links

MUNI/A/1383/2022, interní kód MU

Name: Když se ideologie berou vážně: kritické a metodologické aspekty ideologie práva

Investor: Masaryk University, Taking Ideologies Seriously: Critical and Methodological Aspects of Legal Ideology

Citovat

HAVLÍČEK, Tomáš. Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The introduction to the Ideology of Metrics. In 2nd Nomos Conference: After Neoliberalism? Constitution, Democracy, and Capitalism. 2023.

@proceedings{2293760,
   author = {Havlíček, Tomáš},
   booktitle = {2nd Nomos Conference: After Neoliberalism? Constitution, Democracy, and Capitalism},
   keywords = {ideology; metrics; judicial decision-making; critical theory; rationality; reason; Horkheimer},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The introduction to the Ideology of Metrics},
   url = {https://wsmip.uj.edu.pl/web/nomos/annual-conference1},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2293760
AU  - Havlíček, Tomáš
PY  - 2023
TI  - Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The introduction to the Ideology of Metrics
KW  - ideology
KW  - metrics
KW  - judicial decision-making
KW  - critical theory
KW  - rationality
KW  - reason
KW  - Horkheimer
UR  - https://wsmip.uj.edu.pl/web/nomos/annual-conference1
N2  - In the milieu of legal theory, especially critical legal theory, one can no longer deny the unprecedented influence of ideology on the legal system, judicial decision-making, and thought itself. Thus, if we accept the reflection on the influence of ideology on legal thinking, we have to reflect on what ideas play a dominant role in our society. For this reason, I want to return to the "critique" as represented in the past by the so-called Frankfurt School. The object of criticism by sociologists such as Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer was the idea of so-called instrumental reason, which was developed in works such as Eclipse of Reason. The Frankfurt School thinkers were critical of the rationality and pragmatism that drove this instrumental reason. I believe that there is a dominant trend in contemporary social thought, which we can call “the ideology of metrics”, where mathematically cold justifications enter into considerations of social relations, the purpose and intent of which is to create an impenetrable dam that prevents the application of constructive criticism. This ideology of metrics is driven by similar considerations to rationality and pragmatism in the very subject of Frankfurt School critique. Therefore, in my view, it is possible to grasp this doctrine that preceded critical legal theory in order to still prove the relevance and necessity of CLS in opposition to the pervasive ideology of metrics.
ER  -

HAVLÍČEK, Tomáš. Critique of Instrumental Reason for the 21st Century: The introduction to the Ideology of Metrics. In \textit{2nd Nomos Conference: After Neoliberalism? Constitution, Democracy, and Capitalism}. 2023.

Detailed Information on Publication Record