Description
Book SynopsisGeorg Lukács was one of the most important intellectuals and philosophers of the 20th century. His last great work was an systematic social ontology that was an attempt to ground an ethical and critical form of Marxism. This work has only now begun to attract the interest of critical theorists and philosophers intent on reconstructing a critical theory of society as well as a more sophisticated framework for Marxian philosophy. This collection of essays explores the concept of critical social ontology as it was outlined by Georg Lukács and the ways that his ideas can help us construct a more grounded and socially relevant form of social critique.
Trade Review“The concluding essay by the editor, Michael J. Thompson, is lucid and persuasive in praising the late Lukács’ contribution and fidelity to Marx’s ontology”. Sean Sheehan, in Marx & Philosophy Review of books, 2020.
Table of Contents Contributors Introduction Part 1: Fundamental Aspects of Lukács’ Ontology of Social Being 1 Ontology and Labor in the Lukács’ Late Thought Antonino Infranca and Miguel Vedda 2 Lukács and the Reshaping of Marxism: From Hartmann’s to Lukács’Ontology Endre Kiss 3 Lukács’ Ontology of Social Being and the Material Basis of Intentionality Matthew J. Smetona Part 2: Hegelian-Marxist Dimensions of Lukács’ Social Ontology 4 György Lukács’ Ontological Interpretation of Marx’s Labor Theory of Value Murillo van der Laan 5 The Ontology of Alienation: Lukács’ Normative Theory of History Andreas Giesbert 6 Lukács’ Late Appropriation of Hegel’s Philosophy: The Ontology of Materialist Dialectics and the Complexities of Labor as Teleological Positing Michalis Skomvoulis Part 3: Lukács’ Social Ontology and Contemporary Philosophy 7 On the “Constitution of Human Society”: Lukács’ versus Searle’s Social Ontology Claudius Vellay 8 Why Still Reification? Toward a Critical Social Ontology Thomas Telios 9 Unlikely Affinities: J.L. Borges, Kuhn, Lakatos and Ontological Critique Mario Duayer 10 The Politics of Nature, Left and Right: Comparing the Ontologies of Georg Lukács and Bruno Latour Christoph Henning Part 4: Toward a Critical Social Ontology 11 From Critical Theory to Critical Ontology: Back to Lukács! Michael Morris 12 Normativity and Totality: Lukács’ Contribution to a Critical Social Ontology Titus Stahl 13 Lukács and the Problem of Knowledge: Critical Ontology as Social Theory Reha Kadakal 14 Marx, Lukács and the Groundwork for Critical Social Ontology Michael J. Thompson Index
