Critical theory : reason and dialectic
Whilst Hegel's influence upon the Frankfurt School's reconstruction of Marx has not gone unnoticed, this influence has never really been adequately theorised. In particular, the question of how the Frankfurt School understood the relation between Hegel's method and Marx's materialism has received very little systematic attention. The present study is a response to this situation: it presents the Frankfurt Marxist tradition as a significant although by no means uncritical contribution to the theory of historical materialism. Moreover, that contribution is shown to derive from some of the central concepts of Hegel's philosophy. Thus in opposition to those commentators, Marxists and non-Marxists alike, who have tended to view Frankfurt Marxism as an exercise in eclectic revisionism, I argue that the work of Horkheimer and his colleagues constitutes an attempt to restate and defend, on the basis of an immanent critique of Hegel's idealism, the fundamental principles of Marx's historical materialism. Accordingly, the central chapters of this thesis are devoted to a close examination of the way in which members of the Frankfurt School, building on the work of LukĂĄcs and Korsch, sought to appropriate Hegel's subject-object
Marriott, Stephen Charles
B Philosophy (General)
Critical theory : reason and dialectic. Whilst Hegel's influence upon the Frankfurt School's reconstruction of Marx has not gone unnoticed, this influence has never really been adequately theorised. In particular, the question of how the Frankfurt School understood the relation between Hegel's method and Marx's materialism has received very little systematic attention. The present study is a response to this situation: it presents the Frankfurt Marxist tradition as a significant although by no means uncritical contribution to the theory of historical materialism. Moreover, that contribution is shown to derive from some of the central concepts of Hegel's philosophy. Thus in opposition to those commentators, Marxists and non-Marxists alike, who have tended to view Frankfurt Marxism as an exercise in eclectic revisionism, I argue that the work of Horkheimer and his colleagues constitutes an attempt to restate and defend, on the basis of an immanent critique of Hegel's idealism, the fundamental principles of Marx's historical materialism. Accordingly, the central chapters of this thesis are devoted to a close examination of the way in which members of the Frankfurt School, building on the work of LukĂĄcs and Korsch, sought to appropriate Hegel's subject-object
critical_theory reason dialectic whilst hegel influence_upon frankfurt_school reconstruction marx unnoticed influence never really adequately theorise particular question frankfurt_school understood relation hegel method marx materialism receive_little systematic attention present_study response situation present frankfurt marxist tradition significant although mean uncritical theory historical_materialism moreover show derive central_concept hegel_philosophy thus opposition commentator non alike tend_view frankfurt marxism exercise eclectic revisionism argue work colleague constitute attempt defend basis immanent critique hegel idealism fundamental principle marx historical_materialism accordingly central devote close_examination way member frankfurt_school building work seek appropriate hegel subject_object