Introduction to Philosophy

MARX

Nature Man God Man Society

Pre-Socratic Ph Socrates Medieval Ph. Modern Ph. Post?

From MAN To SOCIETY

Three ways to interpret Marx

• Anti-Christian

- not a central issue

• Anit-Capitalism

- a central issue for Marx

• Anti-Modernity

- a central issue in this class

• Forces of production and relations of production

go together.

- When they conflict with each other, change

occurs.

- Continuous progress in forces of production

always leads to contradict the relations of

production.

History

• Slavery system – master vs. slave

no more supply of slaves

• Feudal system - lord vs. serf

mass production possible

• Capitalism system – bourgeois vs. proletariat

contradictions of capitalism

• Communist system – no class any more

elimination of private property

Relations of Production

• Man as physical being - materialism

• The essence of human being is labor.

- creativity, self-realization

• Class consciousness

- totality of social relationship

• Base determines Superstructure.

- 하부구조가상부구조를결정한다.

Human Being

• From labor

• From one’s product

• From other human being

• From humanness

➔ lead to revolution

- denying private property

- we have nothing to lose

Alienation of Proletariat

Material ($

250)

250 laborer ($ 1)

x 4 product

1000 product ($ 1)

$ 1000 - $250 - $ 250 = $500

Benefit

Everyday in a factory

Material ($ 500) 500 laborer ($ 1)

x 4 product

2000 product ($ 1)

$ 2000 - $500 - $ 500 = $1000

Benefit

If he reinvests the benefits, the next day...

Material ($ 250) 250 laborer

x 4 product

1000 product ($ 1)

$ 1000 - $250 = $750

$ 750 ÷ 250 laborer = $ 3 !

What if there is no capitalist

Modern Times

Modern Times

• Hidden assumption

- After the private property is abolished, people

will behave rationally.

• Modern expectation concerning technology

Marx the Modernist

Marx the Postmodernist

• Emphasis on class consciousness

• Emphasis on society

• No individuality

Critique of Marx

• Ignore the possibly complicated relationship

between B. and P.

• Ignore the flexibility of market

• Labor, the nature of man, might disappear after

revolution.

• Idealistic understanding of man