The obstacles to rational consensus are ontological, not merely empirical.

Evidence

Back to the rough ground here means coming to terms with the fact that, far from being merely empirical or epistemological, the obstacles to rationalist devices like the ‘original condition’ or ‘the ideal discourse’ are ontological. Indeed, the free and unconstrained public deliberation of all on maners of common concern is a conceptual impossibility, since the particular forms of life which are presented as its ‘impediments’ are its very condition of possibility. Without them no communication. no deliberation, would ever take place. There is absolutely no justification for attributing a special privilege to a so-called ‘moral point of view’ governed by rationality and impartiality and where a rational universal consensus could be reached. — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 445

Categorization

• QUESTION: Key test for the reader: if particular forms of life are the very condition of possibility of deliberation, is the exclusionary ‘enemy’ framing entailed, or is Mouffe smuggling in a thicker exclusion than ontological plurality demands?
• DEEPTHINKING: Dense, paradigm-shifting move: turns pragmatism’s ‘impediments to ideal deliberation’ inside out — they are the conditions of possibility, not obstacles to be stripped away.
• XREF: connects to: Instrumental rationality’s dominance results from system-lifeworld uncoupling, not from reason’s inherent dialectic. — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism: A Marxist…, 395; Political agreement arises from shared forms of life, not rational argument — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 62; Interpreting others presupposes shared rationality and a common world. — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism: A Marxist…, 420 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Political agreement arises from shared forms of life, not rational argument #contradicts (0.80) — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 62
• Positivist philosophy imposes an empirical a priori that cannot be transcended #expands (0.76) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 671
• Differences in trust are epistemological, not psychological or irrational. #exemplifies (0.76)
• Rational agreement operates through shared psychic expectations, not mathematical reasoning #expands (0.75) — Thomas C. Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict, 275
• Instrumental rationality’s dominance results from system-lifeworld uncoupling, not from reason’s inherent dialectic. #exemplifies (0.74) — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism, 395
• Interpreting others presupposes shared rationality and a common world. #qualifies (0.72) — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism, 420
• Modern science grounds truth rules in expert consensus, not transcendental authority #qualifies (0.71) — Jean-François Lyotard, The Postmodern Condition, 248