ALTERIDAD Y CRÍTICA A LA ÉTICA DEL DISCURSO

Abstract

 Convinced that philosophical inquiry is distinguished by its evaluative reflection on other theoretical proposals—through a critical, rigorous, and precise analysis of all of them—and recognizing that philosophical progress is only achieved by contrasting well-founded and opposing viewpoints, we propose to explore one of the most compelling controversies for its clarity and insight in addressing contemporary issues. We refer, of course, to the seven encounters held between the German philosopher Karl-Otto Apel (1922–2017) and the Argentine-Mexican philosopher Enrique Dussel (1934–2023) during the last decade of the 20th century (1989–1997). In each of these interviews, both thinkers engaged— with intellectual seriousness and philosophical enthusiasm— in presenting topics of greatest relevance to their respective cultural horizons: theoretical and scientific concerns for Europe, and issues of injustice and social exclusion for the countries of Latin America. In this essay, we also present two distinct approaches to philosophical research: Apel’s, which prioritizes rationality and seeks to understand the conflicts and risks of modern civilization in order to construct—based on that understanding—an ethical theory capable of offering alternatives to its challenges; and Dussel’s, who argues that starting from the prevailing conditions in the peripheral countries of Latin America and the Third World (marked by oppression and exclusion) provides the most appropriate standpoint for practical reflection and the formulation of transformative responses. Taken together, the document we now present aims to demonstrate the continued relevance and enduring significance of the Apel–Dussel dialogue in our present time.