Berlin - German Vice-Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier
congratulated celebrated philosopher Juergen Habermas on his 80th
birthday on Thursday, lauding him as the 'European voice of reason.'
In a letter to the philosopher Steinmeier wrote, 'for decades you
have determined the debates of our country and of Europe,' and
thanked him for his critical enlightenment, 'in the best traditions
of our country.'
'Without you, the thought and political action for a social and
democratic Europe would not be possible,' said Steinmeier, who is
also Germany's foreign minister.
Habermas is a strong proponent of the European Union (EU), which
he said could become the first example of a continental alliance of
national states.
'Your suggestions and advice have enduringly influenced my
political thoughts and actions,' Steinmeier said, thanking Habermas
specifically for a conversation on Germany's European Union
(EU) presidency in 2007.
The German vice-chancellor further thanked the philosopher and
political sociologist for his 'position and arguments on the question
of the Iraq war.'
Habermas was critical of former US President George W Bush's
policy on Iraq, saying he had made the world 'less safe,' whilst
ignoring the fundamental values of America's own political tradition.
The works of Habermas examine the concept of the public sphere,
asking which is the best form of 'discourse' to organise a democratic
society.
Habermas' publications include The Structural Transformation of
the Public Sphere (1962) and Theory of Communicative Action (1981),
both considered seminal works of modern-day philosophy.
Your Talkback on this Story