Georg Lukács and the Possibility of Critical Social Ontology

Georg 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. This work will of special interest to social, moral and political philosophers as well as those who study critical theory, social theory and Marxism. It is also of interest to those working within the area of social ontology. Contributors include: Mario Duayer, Andreas Giesbert, Christoph Henning, Antonino Infranca, Reha Kadakal, Endre Kiss, Michael Morris, Michalis Skomvoulis, Matthew J. Smetona, Titus Stahl, Thomas Telios, Michael J. Thompson, Murillo van der Laan, Miguel Vedda, Claudius Vellay. Georg Lukács and the Possibility of Critical Social Ontology 3 Copyright 4 Contents 5 Contributors 7 Introduction 11 Part 1: Fundamental Aspects of Lukács' Ontology of Social Being 21 1 Ontology and Labor in Lukács' Late Thought 23 2 Lukács and the Reshaping of Marxism: From Hartmann's to Lukács' Ontology 38 3 Lukács' Ontology of Social Being and the Material Basis of Intentionality 51 Part 2: Hegelian-Marxist Dimensions of Lukács' Social Ontology 89 4 György Lukács' Ontological Interpretation of Marx's Labor Theory of Value 91 5 The Ontology of Alienation: Lukács' Normative Theory of History 126 6 Lukács' Late Appropriation of Hegel's Philosophy: The Ontology of Materialist Dialectics and the Complexities of Labor as Teleological Positing 162 Part 3: Lukács' Social Ontology and Contemporary Philosophy 191 7 On the "Constitution of Human Society": Lukács' versus Searle's Social Ontology 193 8 Why Still Reification? Toward a Critical Social Ontology 233 9 Unlikely Affinities: J.L. Borges, Kuhn, Lakatos and Ontological Critique 277 10 The Politics of Nature, Left and Right: Comparing the Ontologies of Georg Lukács and Bruno Latour 299 Part 4: Toward a Critical Social Ontology 329 11 From Critical Theory to Critical Ontology: Back to Lukács! 331 12 Normativity and Totality: Lukács' Contribution to a Critical Social Ontology 376 13 Lukács and the Problem of Knowledge: Critical Ontology as Social Theory 402 14 Marx, Lukács and the Groundwork of Critical Social Ontology 429 Index 467 Georg 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.0This work will of special interest to social, moral and political philosophers as well as those who study critical theory, social theory and Marxism. It is also of interest to those working within the area of social ontology.00Contributors include: Mario Duayer, Andreas Giesbert, Christoph Henning, Antonino Infranca, Reha Kadakal, Endre Kiss, Michael Morris, Michalis Skomvoulis, Matthew J. Smetona, Titus Stahl, Thomas Telios, Michael J. Thompson, Murillo van der Laan, Miguel Vedda, Claudius Vellay "Georg 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. This work will of special interest to social, moral and political philosophers as well as those who study critical theory, social theory and Marxism. It is also of interest to those working within the area of social ontology"-- Provided by publisher