[Fis] Farewell Habermas

[Dr. Eric Werner]

On Habermas: 

Thinking of von Neumann, Habermas and Wittgenstein. My  first work on the logic of games was just concerned with state information. It was via Habermas that I became aware that this view of information misses the vast world of social communication. 

It is the difference between "The door is open" and "Open the door".  While I was aware of Wittgenstein and the Blue and Brown books on language games I had not formalized that. Wittgenstein had said games cannot be formalized, not realizing that in 1921 von Neumann had don that with his mathematical theory of games. I later formalized Wittgenstein's language games. 

While in Munich, I went to a talk, at Habermas' institute in Starnberg, by a professor from Oxford. I criticized this professor's ideas. After the talk Habermas invited me to join them at a restaurant. 

He invited me to come with him in his car, ignoring the professor from Oxford. As we entered the restaurant the locals stared and murmured that it was Habermas. Habermas wanted to know more about my communication theory. 

Later he invited me to his house. I was struck by how bare, sterile was it was. Also that his wife served us like a maid as we were discussing things.  

Some time later going to another meeting in Habermas' institute in Munich. Recall Habermas has this view of "herschaftsfreie Kommunikation". At the meeting we sat in a semi circle. Looking at the front from right to left Habermas was sitting somewhat at right center. 

I was sitting mid left. To be Herschaftsfrei the comments started with Habermas Doktoranten and/or Asisstenten at the right, one after the other till it was Habermas' turn. He talks like the writings in his books. It went on and on till time was up. 

I never got a chance to speak. So much for Herschaftsfreie Communication. It was all very rigid. 

There are fundamental flaws in Habermas theory of communication which takes in much of Searles theory of speech acts. But is attempt to integrate communication and society still stands as a monumental effort. 

Still I honor and appreciate this great man and the opportunity to have gotten so close and yet so far. 

Farewell Dear Habermas.