ABSTRACT
The crux of the matter is of course the transcendental element in the theory of the cognitive interests. The common feature of science and technology was supposed to consist in the fact that both produced preconditions for confirming our expectations about the course of objective processes. The strength of pragmatic theory and the specific, albeit somewhat restricted, use it makes of instrumental action in science, lies in the fact that it circumnavigates the relativisitic implications of T. Kuhn's theory. Herbert Schnadelbach distinguishes within the concept of instrumental between technical and experimental activity, where technical action almost stands for instrumental activity in the sense in which Jurgen Habermas uses it. The unsurpassable element of technology that renders another technology impossible is grounded in its foundation in instrumental action. Habermas got himself out of the impasse by means of decontextualizing the concept of technology and labour.
