The Intrinsic Logic of Jurgen Habermas' "Religious Turn": A Study Focusing on Discourse Ethics

"9/11" is a symbolic staring-point of Jurgen Habermas' "religious turn". In the recent decade, the German philosopher and social theorist has studied religious issues in western context systematically. Previous researches emphasize on the extrinsic causes, such as immigration and religious pluralization. This article argues that Habermas' discourse ethics functions as an intrinsic cause of his religious turn. His concern on religion demonstrates an attempt to defend the two basic principles of his discourse ethics, facing challenges of religious diversity. It reflects also the Achilles' heel of contemporary western political philosophy about religion.