Discursive Ethics (of Morality)

The development of discursive ethics is one of the greatest achievements of Habermas’s theoretical work. It builds on and upgrades the theory of communicative action and the theory of the public sphere. Hence, Habermas paid particular attention to the communicative dimension of discursive ethics. Also, a significant issue is the relationship between discursive ethics and cognitive theory, as well as the distinction between morality, ethics, and pragmatism. All listed questions are part of this chapter. At the core of discursive ethics are two principles: the principle of discourse (D) and the principle of universalization (U). That’s why special attention is paid to the explanation of the stated principles, as well as to the issue of the ethical discourse in the debate between Habermas and Rawls.