Razão, filosofia e formação em Max Horkheimer

The paper aims to discuss the social function attributed by Horkheimer to philosophy considering his critique of reason. In the first section, we will examine Horkheimer’s view that reason has suffered a process that dissolved its main contents. This process has resulted in the predominance of an instrumental reason oriented by mere self-preservation of the individual. In the second section, we shall discuss Horkheimer’s view of resistance to this process: it would be possible as a non-conformist thinking that is identical to philosophy and tries to bring reason to the world by understanding and criticizing the social structure and its contradictions. At the end, we will highlight the importance of education (Bildung) in the context of University, which is an institution viewed by Horkheimer as a place for humanism, able to mobilize individuals for resistance.