Young Habermas

Roman Yos' analysis of the origins of one of the most influential works of recent philosophy is an original examination of how early in his career Jürgen Habermas was already gradually at work transposing his distinct philosophical-political thought into a viable system. This can be understood as a process of learning, the development of which saw contrary intellectual influences come together that called for complex mediation. Yos reconstructs the exciting emergence of Habermas’ thought from the interrelationship of his early writings, while at the same time providing insight into their temporal and historical background.

»Yos has pursued all the texts, contexts, people and controversies of the [early] years, down to the last detail, has combed through newspapers, journals and archives [...] and in so doing has brought even previously unknown publications to light.« Florian Meinel, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

»This biography is well-written and easy to understand.« Neues Deutschland

»His roughly seven years of research, allow Roman Yos to present an important study on the early work of Jürgen Habermas that is rich in materials and opens up fascinating new perspectives and provides a solid foundation for further, critical analyses for the first time.« Michael Hofmann, Politische Vierteljahresschrift

»As a reader, one is in fact entranced and follows how the young Habermas trains his thinking with diverse sources coming from different directions. It is fascinating how he finds his path to creative independence by engaging with Heidegger, Schelling, Jaspers and Marx, eventually to Adorno and – in a manner full of conflict – to Horkheimer.« Andreas Müller, Darmstädter Echo