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Lifeworld vs system

Habermas's two-level picture of society.

Theory of communicative action

Jürgen Habermas (1929–) in The Theory of Communicative Action (1981) splits modern society into lifeworld (communicative action, cultural reproduction) and system (strategic action, money and power).

Communicative action aims at mutual understanding via validity claims (truth, rightness, sincerity). Strategic action aims at success and can manipulate. In an ideal speech situation, free from domination, consensus comes through the unforced force of the better argument.

Source:Jürgen Habermas, The Theory of Communicative Action (1981)