Das anerkannte Subjekt: Überlegungen zur Intersubjektivität bei Axel Honneth und Paul Ricœur : unter Berücksichtigung von Fichte und Hegel

Is a capable and free person an independent or dependent individual? Asked another way, is recognition helpful for a child, as with an adult, to become a free individual but simultaneously limit oneself with regard to others? Answers are discussed and justified in a theoretical and practical way. The starting point is the child's individuation in order to become an independent person, although dependent of the received one-sided recognition from caring, affectionate parents. Only a subject’s successful socialization enables it to recognize other subjects with the effect to become a competent member of society. It remains dependent for its whole life on getting recognition, especially by social esteem.

There are real social and political obstacles concerning the theoretical ideals for developments. For Fichte and Hegel, this is patriarchal society, for Honneth and Ricœur, it is a liberal capitalist state, which lacks effective equality of opportunity. In addition the pluralism of values may either provoke struggles or demand the ability for compromises. Nonetheless, there is a possibility of mutual recognition between individuals without making distinctions.

Frank Juhasz, born in 1948, worked as civil engineer in sub-Saharan countries and in Germany as site supervisor and controller. He completed several trainings in psychological counselling which he is still practising. Having completed a master's degree in philosophy at Jesuit University for Philosophy in Munich, he passed his doctorate in 2025 at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich.