Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

190938

Philosophy of praxis or philosophical anthropology?

Andrew Feenberg and Axel Honneth on Lukács's theory of reification

Konstantinos Kavoulakos

pp. 47-69

Abstract

The concept of reification, as it is formulated in Lukács's History and class consciousness (1923), constitutes one of the corner stones of the tradition of critical theory. Today, after a period of partial eclipse, the relevant discussion seems to have acquired new impetus due to the theoretical interventions of Andrew Feenberg and Axel Honneth. This chapter examines their respective efforts to update the Lukácsian concept and seeks to determine which one could be considered more appropriate for its actualization at our current social and political juncture. It starts with the interpretation of Lukács's theory of reification proposed by Feenberg within the frame of the "philosophy of praxis." Subsequently, it reconstructs Honneth's reformulation of the concept in "recognition-theoretical" terms and criticizes it from a Feenbergian and Lukácsian perspective. It concludes with some remarks on the actuality of Feenberg's interpretation of the concept of reification.

Publication details

Published in:

Michel Andreas (2017) Critical theory and the thought of Andrew Feenberg. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 47-69

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-57897-2_3

Full citation:

Kavoulakos Konstantinos (2017) „Philosophy of praxis or philosophical anthropology?: Andrew Feenberg and Axel Honneth on Lukács's theory of reification“, In: A. Michel (ed.), Critical theory and the thought of Andrew Feenberg, Dordrecht, Springer, 47–69.