Critical theory of the Frankfurt School

Critical theory is a project of revisionist Marxism envisioned to consider the emancipation of individuals from hegemonic power in post-Enlightenment society. Aside from a select handful of consistent themes and concerns shared among the key figures of critical theory, there are some crucial distinctions between the models employed by different theorists. Within the field of critical theory there are disparate views regarding the debate between idealism and realism, as well as drastically conflicting views regarding the application of traditional philosophy, hermeneutics, phenomenology, positivism and pragmatism. Due to the lack of a single critical theory, the most uniting aspect of the field can be thought to be what it opposes rather than what it stands for. Critical theory aims to redirect traditional agency structure debates by suggesting that the actions, beliefs and motivations of individuals are subject to influences that can be invisible. Yet the uniting element of critical theory has less to do with a question or a subject than with a methodology of critique that demands the examination of social life, with the intention of resolving inconsistencies and distortions of knowledge.