European Intellectual History since Nietzsche Class 5: Marxism
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Feb 7, 2024 Explore the seductive nature of Hegelian philosophy and its influence on Marxism. Discover how Marx's thoughts on alienation and class struggle arose from the industrial age's exploitation. Delve into the transformative encounter between Marx and Engels and how it molded revolutionary ideas. Learn about the historical shift from feudalism to class-based society and the role of the proletariat in driving change. The discussion intertwines personal experiences with students' fascination and the paradoxes of Marxism, revealing its enduring impact on modern thought.
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Seeing Marxism's Historical Appeal
- Understanding Marxism requires seeing what was so compelling about it in its own historical context.
- People must imaginatively grasp its seduction, not dismiss it with hindsight bias.
Hegel's Dialectical History
- Hegel's dialectic explains history as a dynamic, relational process leading to a telos.
- Meaning arises only in the context of totality, where opposites reconcile in a higher synthesis.
Freedom as Historical Necessity
- Hegel equates freedom with recognizing necessity and uniting subject and object in history.
- Resisting history's movement is immoral, as history embodies objective reason.
