scholarly journals Review of Warren S. Goldstein (ed.),Marx, Critical Theory and Religion: A Critique of Rational Choice

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 39.1-39.4
Author(s):  
Roland Boer
Keyword(s):  
Critical Theory ◽  
Rational Choice

Rational choice as critical theory

1996 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 43-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Heath
Keyword(s):  
Critical Theory ◽  
Rational Choice

Is Talk Really Cheap? Prompting Conversation between Critical Theory and Rational Choice

1993 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Critical Theory ◽  
Rational Choice ◽  
Rational Choice Theory ◽  
Choice Theory ◽  
Cheap Talk ◽  
Research Traditions ◽  
Political Interaction ◽  
Strategic Rationality ◽  
Basic Intuition

Critical theory and rational choice theory share both overlapping concerns and parallel theoretical weaknesses. Specifically, both critical theorists and rational choice theorists are preoccupied with determining what rational can mean in the realm of social and political interaction. I show in a provisional way how game theory extends and deepens the critical theorists' basic intuition that unembellished strategic rationality cannot adequately sustain social and political interaction. And I suggest how critical theory identifies a mechanism underlying the force of the “cheap talk” that game theorists introduce in hopes of circumscribing the indeterminacy generated by their models. My goal is to stimulate productive conversation between what are typically considered discordant research traditions.

A New Critical Theory Based on Rational Choice?

Dialogue ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-362
Author(s):  
Matthias Fritsch
Keyword(s):  
Critical Theory ◽  
Rational Choice ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Communicative Action ◽  
Critical Social Theory ◽  
Critical Commentary ◽  
Critical Social

Joseph Heath's Communicative Action and Rational Choice may be read as a critical commentary upon Habermas's critical social theory, but it may also be read as merely using the latter as “scaffolding” (p. 10) for the presentation of Heath's own version of critical theory. In what follows, I will focus on the second option and thus largely ignore the exegetical question to what extent Heath provides a fair reading of Habermas. This does not mean, however, that I will not make comparative judgements. On the contrary, my overall claim will be that Heath's new critical theory is more functionalist, and. partly as a result, less critical than Habermas's. Since lack of space does not permit me to argue this in accordance with the standards of detail that Heath's own book generally observes, my procedure may be justified by the attempt to provoke a clarificatory response from Heath.

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