Marx's Anti-Practical Philosophy

Beschreibung

This book sets out a new reading of the early Marx. This book argues that, during the period of his first critique of political economy, Marx developed a way of critique that targets social contradictions themselves—by making them explicit—rather than grounding judgment in prior normative principles. What Marx consolidated in this period was an implicit critique of what we now call practical philosophy, and this book spells out the terms on which that critique unfolds. The opening chapters recast Marx’s concept of alienation of labor as an ambiguous one and reframe ideology as what occurs when philosophy detaches from social and historical life process. Building on this, the book traces the young Marx’s move toward a critique of political economy, showing how alienation of labor structure modern society and generate contradictions. It then addresses a central question for critical social theory since the nineteenth century: how should one criticize a social contradiction? The answer advanced here is that compelling critique does not rest on any kind of normative grounding; it exposes and clarifies the contradictory dynamics of social life as contradictory. The concluding chapters revisit Marx’s engagements with Hegel (1843) and with post-Hegelian philosophy (from 1845 onward) to show why practical philosophy are not the right way to criticize contradiction.

"Breathing new life into the concepts of alienation and ideology, Taufer argues that Marx's critique of capitalism forgoes the tools of traditional philosophy and justifies revolution instead on the proletariat's empirical needs." – Frederick Neuhouser, Columbia University

Felipe Taufer is Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in Philosophy at Universidade de Caxias do Sul.

This book sets out a new reading of the early Marx. This book argues that, during the period of his first critique of political economy, Marx developed a way of critique that targets social contradictions themselves—by making them explicit—rather than grounding judgment in prior normative principles. What Marx consolidated in this period was an implicit critique of what we now call practical philosophy, and this book spells out the terms on which that critique unfolds. The opening chapters recast Marx’s concept of alienation of labor as an ambiguous one and reframe ideology as what occurs when philosophy detaches from social and historical life process. Building on this, the book traces the young Marx’s move toward a critique of political economy, showing how alienation of labor structure modern society and generate contradictions. It then addresses a central question for critical social theory since the nineteenth century: how should one criticize a social contradiction? The answer advanced here is that compelling critique does not rest on any kind of normative grounding; it exposes and clarifies the contradictory dynamics of social life as contradictory. The concluding chapters revisit Marx’s engagements with Hegel (1843) and with post-Hegelian philosophy (from 1845 onward) to show why practical philosophy are not the right way to criticize contradiction.

"Breathing new life into the concepts of alienation and ideology, Taufer argues that Marx's critique of capitalism forgoes the tools of traditional philosophy and justifies revolution instead on the proletariat's empirical needs." – Frederick Neuhouser, Columbia University

Autor*in

Felipe Taufer

Themen in »Marx's Anti-Practical Philosophy«

Anti-Practical Philosophy Practical Philosophy Normativity Normative Critique Immanent Critique Alienation Early Marx Marxism Hegel Marx Critique of Political Economy Manuscript of Kreuznach Neue Marx-Lektüre

Stimmen zu »Marx's Anti-Practical Philosophy«

“At least since Roberto Schwarz, the specter of antinormativism and antiphilosophy has haunted Brazilian Critical Theory. Echoing this distinctively Brazilian — yet once also deeply German — problem in his own way, Taufer shows how Marx not only sought and succeeded in leaving philosophy behind, but also made use of actually existing philosophy to accomplish what philosophy itself could never achieve.” (Luiz Phillipe de Caux, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ))

“With remarkable analytical depth, Felipe Taufer guides the reader through Marx’s early writings with exceptional clarity and rigor. His argument unfolds with the precision of a profoundly knowledgeable scholar, revealing the internal logic and philosophical stakes of Marx’s critique of political economy. For anyone interested in the early Marx, this is an indispensable and intellectually rewarding work—marked by interpretative acuity and conceptual discipline that advance the contemporary study of Marx.” (Lucas Dalsotto, University of Caxias do Sul (UCS))

“Written with unusual clarity and thoroughly grounded in the relevant texts, Marx's Anti-Practical Philosophy gives voice to an exciting new perspective on the thought of the young Marx, arguing against reading him as a "practical philosopher" who aims to justify his critique of social relations using the tools of traditional philosophy. Instead, it is the empirical needs of the proletariat that justify a real revolution that transforms the social conditions under which it lives. Taufer's approach radically reforms our understanding of Marx's theoretical and practical projects, breathing new life into his central conceptions of alienation and ideology.” (Frederick Neuhouser, Columbia University)

Details

Link teilen