German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas dies at 96

Jürgen Habermas, the influential German philosopher and sociologist, has died at the age of 96. Habermas was one of the most prominent intellectual figures of the post-war era, known for his work on communicative rationality, the public sphere, and critical theory. As a leading member of the Frankfurt School's second generation, he developed theories about democratic discourse and rational communication that influenced fields ranging from philosophy and sociology to political science and media studies. His concept of the "ideal speech situation" and his analysis of how public opinion forms in democratic societies made him a central figure in contemporary social and political thought.