Cultural Components of Modernity in the Works of Weber, Foucault and Lyotard; A Critical Review

Rereading the Webber’s works and going beyond Parsons’ interpretation of Weber, Nietzschean aspects in his approach toward modernity are revealed, such that it leads to the promotion of his function as the mediator between Nietzsche and critical approach of postmodern figures such as Lyotard and Foucault. To verify this hypothesis, firstly, we need to have criterion to assessing the similarities and differences of Weber, Lyotard and Foucault. Secondly, the appropriate method for the application of that criterion is needed. The assessment criterion or theoretical framework of this article is Taylor’s three malaises and the method of the application of this criterion, is Lovejoy’s history of ideas. Based on this theoretical framework or method, four unit-ideas are selected as the elements of these three thinkers. Findings of this research indicate that the unit- ideas of ‘instrumentalism’, ‘value- differentiation’ and ‘cultural integrity’ and ‘autonomy’ are prominent in the thought of Weber, Lyotard and Foucault respectively.