Abstract

The discourse principle, according to which only the norms all potential subjects might approve are valid, represent the grounds of democracy in Habermas' theory. Nevertheless, Habermas' paradigm displays some ambiguities or internal tensions between the discourse principle and its feasibility; that is to say between the normative plan and the descriptive plan. Modern cognitive and experimental sciences, especially the studies concerning the collective reasoning, can play a part in clearing the prominent features of Habermas' paradigm by adding new points over its feasibility and by considering to which extent the discourse principle is limited to the normative sphere and/or is carried out in practical action.