Considerations on Theodor Adorno’s Philosophy and the Postmodern.

Abstract

In this paper I question Antonio J. Severino’s position which considers Critical Theory the root of postmodern and poststructuralism trends in Brazilian education studies. To achieve this goal I scrutinize Adorno’s thought. The criticism he makes about Western reason does not address science tout court, but its positivization. He indicates that one might build a positive notion of Aufklärung towards the overcoming the capitalistic alienation and the formation of self-reflexive subject. Adorno’s philosophy is not close to features of postmodern and poststructuralist tendencies as the aesthetization of life, disregard for reason and science, priority of singularity, the lack of consideration of objectivity and renunciation of emancipatory projects.