1. What’s ‘critical’ about critical physiotherapy?
Max Horkheimer and the idea of critical theory
Anna I. Rajala
PhD candidate in Humanities
Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics
School of Humanities, University of Brighton

2. Structure Who was Max Horkheimer? What is “critical” philosophy?
Reading of the essay ‘Traditional and critical theory’ – what is “critical theory” for Horkheimer?
What might this have to do with physiotherapy?

3. The argument
Thinking Horkheimer in critical physiotherapy today raises questions about theory and practice
Moving beyond the disciplinary boundary between traditional “traditional” physiotherapy science and critical physiotherapy is one of the most difficult tasks for the future, but all the more necessary

4. I. A brief biography

5. Max Horkheimer (b. 1895 – d. 1973) – A very brief background
The early career was marked by the rise of Hitler
The later career reflected the atrocities of both right and left fascism

6. II. What is critical philosophy?

7. Critique – Etymology
From Ancient Greek, via Latin borrowed from French into English
kritikós, “capable of judging, discerning”, from kritós, “separated, picked out”
critica, “evaluation of literary works”
The act of criticising, activity of making careful judgements about something, making critical assessment
To discern, to see, to find out, to recognise, to distinguish, to recognise a difference, to understand something that is not clear
(Merriam-Webster / OED)

8. Critical philosophy
The task for philosophy is not the justification of knowledge or establishment of theories about the reality – it is not about knowing what is out there
It is about critique, the analysis of experience itself – how knowledge is possible in the first place and how it constitutes the objects in the world, not the other way around

9. Negative and pessimistic?
Critique can be pessimistic if it can’t see alternatives – But should it stay silent?
Criticism is negative when pointing out wrong but not offering an alternative – Does it have to?
Critique is the first step towards “better”

10. The task of social philosophy: materialism
“[Social philosophy’s] ultimate aim is the philosophical interpretation of the vicissitudes of human fate – the fate of humans not as mere individuals, however, but as members of a community. It is thus above all concerned with phenomena that can only be understood in the context of human social life: with the state, law, economy, religion – in short, with the entire material and intellectual culture of humanity.”
- Max Horkheimer, “The Present Situation of Social Philosophy and the Tasks of an Institute for Social Research”

11. III. Horkheimer’s “critical theory”

12. Traditional and Critical Theory (1937)
“Traditional theory” seeks to explain, describe and understand
Uses natural scientific methods
Mechanistic worldview
Theory is a set of propositions that are verifiable with empirical means
Seeks to classify, systematize, and conceptualize
Numbers are its language
Doesn’t acknowledge the social and historical embeddedness of science

13. Traditional and Critical Theory (1937)
“Critical theory” seeks to change and liberate
Looks at real material, ideological, economic, historical, cultural … circumstances and relationships to understand society
Tied to the suffering of the oppressed in society
Interdisciplinary
Purposefully acknowledges its own embeddedness in the social and historical moment to overcome the blind spots of traditional theory

14. IV. Horkheimer in critical physiotherapy

15. What would it look like? Interdisciplinary
Integrating theory and practice
Acknowledging embeddedness of research
Addressing oppression
Aiming at liberation
Inspiration from: quantitative-researcher-on-the-cpn-salon/

16. Barriers for collaboration
Mutual recognition
Criticism is not a unified approach nor should it be
The division between theory and practice is a wider phenomenon extending beyond physiotherapy
Institutional division of labour - do we really communicate?
Hierarchical and dichotomous thinking
Valuing quantitative science above all else
Valuing practical above all else
Not finding space to voice criticism
Not finding representation in mainstream
Funding issues to do critical work
Lack of time to think
Structural barriers
Political and economic climate
Etc.