The failed transition from theory to practice forces the interaction back into theory.

Evidence

For Adorno, ‘[r]eflection about why a practical change did not take place’, the exceeding of theory in practice – ‘in other words, why practice finds itself in these difficulties or in this standstill situation’ – is now the order of the day. And ‘such reflection is itself an important part of what we can call philosophy today. In a certain sense, then, because the predicted transition from theory to practice did not take place, the interaction between theory and practice must revert to theory’. — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 1209

Categorization

• XREF: This is the crux of the revisionist reading — Adorno’s ‘reversion to theory’ is a rigorous response to failed practice, not pessimism. Direct counters the ‘pessimistic cul-de-sac’ reading. — connects to: Practice undermines theory from within as a destructive element — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 1100; Theory must prove itself theoretically rather than gesture toward practice — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 1202

Broader Connections

• Theory must prove itself theoretically rather than gesture toward practice #responds-to (0.75) — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 1202
• Practice undermines theory from within as a destructive element #complicates (0.72) — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 1100