Alienation, Praxis, and Techne in the Thought of Karl Marx
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
BOOK REVIEWS Political Theory and Methodology Alienation, Praxis, and Techne in the Thought of objectivity)—and he does so by radically of Karl Marx. By Kostas Axelos. Translated transcending philosophy precisely as search for by Ronald Bruzina. (Austin: University of the truth, as thought, theory, knowledge, and Texas Press, 1976. Pp. xxxiii + 401. $12.50.) science" (p. 246). Throughout the book, but Some tree made the supreme sacrifice in especially in the concluding chapter, Axelos order that this book might be published. The does pose some important questions, among sacrifice was in vain. While there may have been them whether we should share Marx's faith that a need for the French original published in alienation can be overcome, whether political 1961, it is not clear why this English translation authority would not still be necessary even in a warranted yet another assault on some hapless communist society, whether Marx has really forest. In a merely respectable undergraduate succeeded in closing the gap between theory political theory course treating Marx, a student and practice. But since these questions are now would be told that there is a very intimate, but so familiar, an important book on Marx would very obscure, connection in Marx's thought not just ask, but try to answer them. Axelos is among these three propositions: (1) Human content, for the most part, to ask them. beings, generically and essentially, are pro- I do not, however, want to suggest that ducers. (2) In the exercise of their productive Axelos, on the faculty of the University of powers, human beings alienate themselves from Paris, has been altogether unilluminating. After their own essence or nature. (3) This alienation reading his book, I understand clearly why is to be overcome, not by thought alone, but by French students pour out of the lecture halls practical activity that transforms the world in a periodically in search of paving stones. very basic way. Finally, the translator's introduction is ex- That is approximately all Axelos tells his cellent—indeed, an entirely adequate substitute readers. Although the title raises the hope that for the book. Axelos will extend some of Marx's insights, or, LEON GALIS failing that, just dispel some of the obscurity that afflicts Marx's thinking, that hope is not Franklin and Marshall College sustained by the book. Instead of analysis (as in the work of Avineri, Oilman, Tucker, Meszaros and McLellan, for example), Aexlos gives us Averroes' Three Short Commentaries on Ari- largely a tediously repetitions paraphrase and stotle's "Topics," "Rhetoric," and "Poe- summary of some important texts, mainly from tics." Edited and translated by Charles E. the 1844 Manuscripts and The German Ideolo- Butterworth. (Albany: State University of gy. So, far from dispelling Marx's obscurity, New York Press, 1977. Pp. xi + 206. Axelos merely reproduces it, calls attention to $30.00.) it, and in some cases even adds to it, as, for Readers of this Review might understand- example, here: "The resulting being-in-becom- ably wonder what significance such a work as ing (which is also being as having-become), this this could have for the political scientist. natural-historical-human-being-becoming Charles Butterworth anticipates this question at (which is also being as coming-to-be), is grasped the outset: "Today, few people are interested by a unitary global, and holistic science" (p. in either Aristotle or commentary... The 280). The paraphrase is interrupted periodically passion for serious discussion about perennial by undeveloped ruminations on Marx's place in problems has waned. Even those still at- the history of western philosophy. These ru- tracted to the philosophy of Aristotle are little minations sometimes converge toward the view inclined to study the commentaries by that, "Marx continues the whole of Western Averroes," although even Aquinas referred to metaphysics-principally its third period, Euro- him as the commentator. This neglect is unfor- pean, modern thought, the philosophy of sub- tunate: "Like Aristotle, Averroes addressed jectivity as thinker and agent (a philosophy himself to theoretical and practical questions of which is as well, by implication, a philosophy concern to human beings in all ages." Among 1372 本文献由“学霸图书馆-文献云下载”收集自网络，仅供学习交流使用。 学霸图书馆（www.xuebalib.com）是一个“整合众多图书馆数据库资源， 提供一站式文献检索和下载服务”的24 小时在线不限IP 图书馆。 图书馆致力于便利、促进学习与科研，提供最强文献下载服务。 图书馆导航： 图书馆首页 文献云下载 图书馆入口 外文数据库大全 疑难文献辅助工具.