PL 100 MARX: MAN AS HOMO FABER
Background: Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) was a student of the philosopher
Hegel. Hegel argued that history
developed according to spiritual/rational laws in a dialectical method. The dialectical method says that progress in history is the
result of the conflict of opposing points of
view. In
discussing his analysis of history, some commentators use the terms Athesis,@ antithesis and synthesis. AAlthough Hegel tended to avoid these terms, they are helpful
in understanding his concept of the dialectic. The thesis is an idea or a
historical movement. Such an idea or movement contains within itself
incompleteness that gives rise to opposition, or an antithesis, a conflicting
idea or movement.@
This is also the moment of alienation.
AAs a result of the conflict a third
point of view arises, a synthesis, which overcomes the conflict by reconciling
at a higher level the truth contained in both the thesis and antithesis. This
synthesis becomes a new thesis that generates another antithesis, giving rise
to a new synthesis, and in such a fashion the process of intellectual or
historical development is continually generated.@[1]
For example, some see the development of Christian philosophy
(Augustine) as the synthesis of the philosophy of the early Greek philosophers
and the spiritualism of mythology. Some of Hegel=s followers, called the Left or Young Hegelians, thought
that religion was an expression of
alienation, and that men must abandon it. This idea strongly influenced
Marx who said "The criticism of religion is the foundation of all
criticism." Marx argued that
historical change is not the result of spiritual forces (Hegel), but material
ones. His philosophy attempted to
describe and explain these ideas in a scientific way.
In 1848, Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto. Marx moved to London in 1849 where he remained for the rest of his life in poverty and illness. He died in 1883, described by Engels in his eulogy as "the most hated and most calumniated man of his time." http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1883deat/index.htm
Marx's philosophy:
Marx is part of a tradition in modern political
and social philosophy that began with thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and John
Locke. These thinkers described the state of
nature, a hypothetical condition in which men live without government and were interested in
analyzing the nature of power in modern
society and how it affected the individual.
Marx=s unique contribution was the idea of historical materialism as an
explanation for human history. But
beyond theory, Marx was also interested in changing the world and in liberating
human beings whose Amajor weapon against the domination by nature is the technology
they create. Throughout all of history
thus far, however, humans have not been able to overcome a constant condition
of scarcity . . . people have had to resort to living in social structures
which have required various forms of social and political oppression and domination.
That is, our inability to fend off natural forces threatening human
well-being and our inability to produce enough to satisfy all existing needs
have required that we live in circumstances where some exploit and dominate
others.@ (Lawrence A. Simon in
Karl Marx: Selected Writings, pp. x - xi).
Marx believed that a time was coming when we could use technology to
enhance our lives and domination by others would no longer be necessary.
Marx said: "The philosophers have only
interpreted the world. It is for us to
change it." He thought that man's
preoccupation with philosophy, his construction of an ideal world of thought or
religion, is a form of alienation. Marx
called for action to overcome alienation.
His philosophy focused on describing man and his relationships with
others under capitalism and included an economic analysis of history.
Marx's idea of labor: Labor is a creative and social human
activity that transforms nature in a way that makes possible and enhances human
life. Under capitalism, labor becomes a
source of alienation.
Marx's idea of alienation: The nature of capitalism (private ownership
of industry, money, division of labor, and the competition among men) causes
man to be used as a means to an end (more profit). Alienation consists of the separation of man from the product of
work, from the activity of being a
producer and from his fellow man.
Marx's theory of human nature: Man is a social animal
and a producer who transforms nature through the creative activity of
labor. The kind of society we live in
influences who we are, and can change from one culture to another. It is under
capitalism that man becomes alienated.
Marx=s solution is communism.
[1]."Hegel, G(eorg) W(ilhelm) F(riedrich)," Microsoft7 Encarta7 Encyclopedia 2000. 8 1993-1999 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved. Prepared by Anne Knop, Senior Associate
Professor of Philosophy, Manor College