On Honneth’s Theory Of Recognition

As the third generation representative of Frankfort School, Axel Honneth evoked astrong repercussion in academic circles with his "Recognition theory" and opened theshift chapter of Frankfort School from the critical theory to recognition theory, whichstands for a new development direction of social justice theory.Honneth shaped a unique recognition theory by absorbing nutrients from "Strugglefor Recognition" of Hegel in Jena times, criticizing theories of Foucault and referencingand developing Habermas theory. In addition, the social psychology of Mead suppliedtheoretical support for remolding his Post-metaphysics. In argument and comparisonwith other theoretical workers, Honneth gradually amended and improved his theory andrevealed that the moral impetus of social development was the struggle for recognition.Starting with analysis of recognition concept, this paper seeks for the inconsistencyof Honneth’s recognition concept with other recognition concepts, and mainly exploresthe era and theoretical background under which Honneth combs and developsrecognition concept to find out the theoretical source of recognition concept. Furthermore,it points out that under the influence of Hegel, Meade and Habermas, etc, Honnethdefines the recognition concept as a kind of interactive relationship between the subjects.Honneth makes a profound interpretation to the relationship between the recognition andthe contempt, and the contempt and the resistance, which is also his uniqueunderstanding on the concept of recognition. On this basis, this paper combs the maincontent of recognition theory, which mainly involves two modes of social conflict, threeforms of recognition and three forms of contempt, contempt experience of the subject,the moral logic of social conflict and recognition-based multivariate justice conceive.Finally, this paper evaluates Honneth’s recognition theory and points out the positivesignificance and the theoretical limit.