Samtidsdiagnose som kritik

Abstract

Artiklens centrale tese er, at samtidsdiagnose er en form for kritik. Indledningsvist spores samtidsdiagnosens herkomst tilbage til 1700-tallets filosofi (Rousseau, Kant), hvorefter aktuelle bud på filosofiske samtidsdiagnoser præsenteres (Lyotard, Schmidt). Imidlertid synes det at have store implikationer for samtidsdiagnosens kritiske natur, at samtidsdiagnose ofte forveksles med samfundsbeskrivelse (f.eks. Beck), eller at forskere forsøger at erstatte diagnose med beskrivelse (f.eks. Florida). Artiklen argumenterer for, at dette er et problem, eftersom der er tale om diametralt modsatte analysestrategier: Samtidsdiagnosens genstandsfelt er tegn i tiden (tendenser) på transformationer of tidens mulighedsfelt (historiske vilkår), hvorimod samfundsbeskrivelsens genstandsfelt i samfundsvidenskaberne er de faktiske samfundsmæssige institutioner og strukturer og de faktiske sociale aktørers adfærd. Som en analysestrategi, der fremsætter diagnostiske teser med henblik på positivt at etablere muligheden af at tænke anderledes, adskiller samtidsdiagnosens kritik sig fra såvel samfundsvidenskabens som kritisk teoris kritikformer. ENGELSK ABSTRACT: Lars Geer Hammershøj: ’’Diagnosis of The Times as Criticism’’ The central argument of this article is that “diagnosis of the times“ is a form of criticism. The article begins by tracing the origin of “diagnosis of the times“ from 18th century philosophy (Rousseau, Kant) to more recent philosophical diagnoses of the times (Lyotard, Schmidt). Diagnosis of the times today is often confused with descriptions of society (e.g. Beck) or attempts to substantiate diagnoses with descriptions (e.g. Florida), which has great implications for its critical nature. The article argues that this is a problem, since these are diametrically opposed kinds of analysis strategies. While the object of diagnosis of the times is to elucidate indications in the times (tendencies) of transformations of the field of possibility for the times (conditions), the object of description of society in the social sciences is the actual social institutions and structures and the actual social actors. The criticism emerging from “diagnosis of the times“ is different from the criticism of the social sciences and critical theory in being an analysis strategy that aims at presenting diagnostic theses in order to establish the possibility of thinking differently. Key words: Diagnosis of the times, criticism, social-analytics, methodology, Ulrich Beck.