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영어

This article aims to seek and find a ground for a multi-cultural communicative ethics in Korea on the basis of J. Habermas and K.-O. Apel's discourse ethical theories. These two German philosophers give us two fundamental grounds for establishing a multi-cultural communicative ethics, which are the principle of universalization and the principle of discourse ethics. The principle of universalization is a rule of argumentation enabling us to reach consensus on generalizable maxims. The principle of discourse ethics is a rule for demonstrating at the same time that moral practical issues to be decided on the basis of reason. Korean society has become to be multi-culturalized more and more these days. In fact, we are living in the world where there are a lot of people with many different cultural background. Moreover, we are used to living with them, and being a part of them. However, these differences can sometimes cause troubles. To cope with our multi-cultiralized reality, we have to solve these problems. To solve these ethical problems, we need a totally new ethics, and this is the reason why we need multi-cultural communicative ethics in multi-cultralized society. Communicative ethics seek its ground on people's usage of language itself. To people the use of language does not work only as the semantic means of use like exchanging information and knowledge. It also works as a socializing activity, and ethical deed. Assuming that the person you are communicating with, is honest and sincere, and have the will to keep the community, people can carry on a proper communication. The way of people communicating is an ethical activity with its root in multi-cultural communicative ethics. The principle of universalization and the principle of discourse ethics, suggested by J. Habermas and K.-O. Apel gives lots of clue to the multi-culturalized society which we are living in. As the world we are going to live will be putting emphasis on the harmony of the community members, and the importance of life. Principles of J. Habermas and K.-O. Apel, can help us do that. The discussion of multi- cultural communicative ethics is not an exception. The communicative ethics we are pursuing, will increase the happiness and interest of the people living within the community, and will devote to improving happiness and quality of life. Multi-culturalization of the society we are going to be living in will get even more deeper. We can possibly see the advent of super multi-culturalized society. If super multiculturalized society no longer distinguish differences between the major and minor culture, and all cultures start to work as partly subculture, we have to prepare to face this. This super multi-culturalized society can cause problems in ethical, normative, and social harmony of the society. Diversity is desirable in the way that it provides chance of developing and diversifying. However, if it gets too much, it can stir up conflict and division. We have to emphasis the positive points that a multi-culturalized society can bring and make up the negative sides of the society so it can contribute to the society positively. In these points checking out the basis of multi-cultural communicative ethics is a burning problem for us who are preparing to face future.