Reason and the rationalization of society develops a sociological theory of action that stresses not its means ends or teleological aspect but the need to coordinate action socially via communication in the introductory chapter habermas sets out a powerful series of arguments on such foundational issues as cultural and historical relativism the methodology of verstehen the inseparabilty of interpretation from critique. The theory of communicative action vol 1 reason and the rationalization of society by jurgen habermas translated by thomas mccarthy boston beacon press 1984 pp xlii 465 2995. The theory of communicative action vol 1 reason and the rationalization of societyjurgen habermas steven b smith. Reason and the rationalization of society develops a sociological theory of action that stresses not its means ends or teleological aspect but the need to coordinate action socially via communication in the introductory chapter habermas sets out a powerful series of arguments on such foundational issues as cultural and historical relativism the methodology of verstehen the inseparabilty of interpretation from critique. The theory of communicative action reason and the rationalization of society the theory of communicative action represents a major contribution to contemporary social theory not only does it