Marx and Human Nature: Refutation of a Legend'Marx did not reject the idea of human nature. He was right not to do so.' That is the conclusion of this passionate and polemical new work by Norman Geras. In it, he places the sixth of Marx's These on Feuerbach under rigorous scrutiny. He argues that this ambiguous statement - widely cited as evidence that Marx broke with all concepts of human nature in 1845 - must be read in the context of Marx's work as a whole. His later writings are formed by an idea of a specifically human nature that fulfils both explanatory and normative functions. The belief that Marx's historical materialism entailed a denial of the conception of human nature is, Geras writes, 'an old fixation, which the Althusserian influence in this matter has fed upon...Because this fixation still exists and is misguided, it is still necessary to challenge it.' One hundred years after Marx's death, this timely essay - combing the strengths of analytical philosophy and classical Marxism - rediscovers a central part of his heritage. |
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abstraction affirm Althusser Althusser's amongst argument assert assumption biological Capital character of human claim common human concept of human concern constant construed context criticism denial deny dependence disclosed ence ensemble of social entity essay essence Eugene Kamenka evidence example existence explain fact Feuerbach formula German Ideology Gerry Cohen Grundrisse historical materialism human capacity human characteristics human make-up human needs idea of human indi inherent intellectual interpretation intrinsic Karl Marx labour labour-power language London Louis Althusser man's nature manifested Marx's sentence Marxism materialist meaning mode of production normative notion obviously passage physical possible reality the nature reasons reference reject the idea rela relations of production religion sense single individual sixth thesis social determinants social relations socialist society Soper sort speak specific structure Suchting Surplus Value textual theoretical Theories of Surplus theory of history thing third sentence thought tion universal usage vidual Wesen