Karl Marx XI Thesis on Feurebach

1. Karl Marx� XI Thesis on Feurebach

2. Karl Marx 1845: Teesej� Feuerbachista  Source: Written by Marx in Brussels in the spring of 1845, under the title �1) ad Feuerbach�;Marx�s original text was first published in 1924, in German and in Russian translation, by the Institute of Marxism-Leninism in Marx-Engels Archives, Book I, Moscow. The English translation was first published in the Lawrence and Wishart edition of The German Ideology in 1938. The most widely known version of the �Theses� is that based on Engels� edited version, published as an appendix to his Ludwig Feuerbach in 1888. Translated by Cyril Smith 2002, based on work done jointly with Don Cuckson. Marx/Engels Archive:

3. I The main defect of all hitherto-existing materialism � that of Feuerbach included � is that the Object [der Gegenstand], actuality, sensuousness, are conceived only in the form of the object [Objekts], or of contemplation [Anschauung], but not as human sensuous activity, practice [Praxis], not subjectively. Hence it happened that the active side, in opposition to materialism, was developed by idealism � but only abstractly, since, of course, idealism does not know real, sensuous activity as such. Feuerbach wants sensuous objects [Objekte], differentiated from thought-objects, but he does not conceive human activity itself as objective [gegenst�ndliche] activity. In The Essence of Christianity, he therefore regards the theoretical attitude as the only genuinely human attitude, while practice is conceived and defined only in its dirty-Jewish form of appearance [Erscheinungsform]. Hence he does not grasp the significance of �revolutionary�, of �practical-critical�, activity.

4. Huttunen�s explanation In this thesis Marx express his dissatisfaction for Ludwig Feuerbach who was his idol. Feuerbach looks sensual world only as object of natural science and does not see how perception is conditioned by social praxis � so perception is a social construction. Also Feuerbach focuses his attention to theoretical attitude because that is essentially human. Feuerbach does not understand Aristotelian poesis and praxis that human productive and practical-critical action.

5. II The question whether objective truth can be attributed to human thinking is not a question of theory but is a practical question. Man must prove the truth, i.e., the reality and power, the this-sidedness [Diesseitigkeit] of his thinking, in practice. The dispute over the reality or non-reality of thinking which is isolated from practice is a purely scholastic question.

6. Huttunen�s explanation Marx verdict for correspondence theory of truth (which was introduced by Thomas Aquinas and Isaak Israel; veritas est adequatio intellectus et rei) is very negative. It is only a scholastic speculation (although Aquinas never supported it). Marx didn�t care is there rational reasons for realistic theory of truth and knowledge. What really maters is praxis. Marx supported pragmatic notion of truth. World view as a whole is true if it can bring about a just and working society.

7. III The materialist doctrine that men are products of circumstances and upbringing, and that, therefore, changed men are products of changed circumstances and changed upbringing, forgets that it is men who change circumstances and that the educator must himself be educated. Hence this doctrine is bound to divide society into two parts, one of which is superior to society. The coincidence of the changing of circumstances and of human activity or self-change [Selbstver�nderung] can be conceived and rationally understood only as revolutionary practice.

8. Huttunen�s explanation This is the basic principle of the humanism of young Marx. It could be understood in the light of Anthony Giddens� theory structuration (which is actually very wise interpretation of Marx). Social structures facilitates subject but on the other hand those structures can be changed by either reflective or unreflective action of subject. In suitable circumstances subject can practice his or hers Kantian autonomy or Aristotelian phronesis (practical wisdom) and reflectively change social structures in critical (revolutionary) praxis. Human is not just a bearer of the structures like anti-humanistic Louis Althusser read �mature� (scientific) Marx.

9. IV Feuerbach starts off from the fact of religious self-estrangement [Selbstentfremdung], of the duplication of the world into a religious, imaginary world, and a secular [weltliche] one. His work consists in resolving the religious world into its secular basis. He overlooks the fact that after completing this work, the chief thing still remains to be done. For the fact that the secular basis lifts off from itself and establishes itself in the clouds as an independent realm can only be explained by the inner strife and intrinsic contradictoriness of this secular basis. The latter must itself be understood in its contradiction and then, by the removal of the contradiction, revolutionised. Thus, for instance, once the earthly family is discovered to be the secret of the holy family, the former must itself be annihilated [vernichtet] theoretically and practically.

10. Huttunen�s explanation For Feuerbach the greatest social problem is religious self-estrangement. If we enlighten people out of religion then world will be saved. According to Marx religious self-estrangement is caused by social contradictions and if we remove these contradictions by revolutionary action religion will vanish. Personally I don�t believe that religious thinking and representation is caused only by social conflicts and repression. There was religion in so called original communism. Phrase �holy family� refers academic disputes of liberal exegetic (interpretation of Bible) which Marx was well acquaintance with.

11. V Feuerbach, not satisfied with abstract thinking, wants sensuous contemplation [Anschauung]; but he does not conceive sensuousness as practical, human-sensuous activity.

12. Huttunen�s explanation Here we have thesis 1 condensed. Feuerbach�s mechanistic and materialistic theory of knowledge does not understand the social and construvistic nature of the knowledge. This Marx critique we can apply against scientific realism supported by Vladimir Uljanovits Lenin and Karl Popper. Marx never supported correspondence theory of truth but possible he did support materialistic version Hegelian realism - abstract concepts like capital, product, price etc. have real life in society.

13. VI Feuerbach resolves the essence of religion into the essence of man [menschliche Wesen = �human nature�]. But the essence of man is no abstraction inherent in each single individual. In reality, it is the ensemble of the social relations. Feuerbach, who does not enter upon a criticism of this real essence is hence obliged: 1. To abstract from the historical process and to define the religious sentiment regarded by itself, and to presuppose an abstract � isolated - human individual. 2. The essence therefore can by him only be regarded as �species�, as an inner �dumb� generality which unites many individuals only in a natural way.

14. Huttunen�s explanation Marx continues the critique of Feuerbach anthropological and un-social concept of human. For Marx human is totality of social relations but human is not such berar of social structures. Marx kind of mediates between essentialism of anthropology and anti-essentialism of structuralism (functionalism, system theory). Marx believe in weak essence of human (humans has strive for freedom and he capable of renew social structures) and didn�t believe in any universal humanity.

15. Teesi 7 Feuerbach consequently does not see that the �religious sentiment� is itself a social product, and that the abstract individual that he analyses belongs in reality to a particular social form.

16. Huttunen�s explanation Feuerbach considers religion as self-estrangement of abstract individual. Marx considers religion totally social phenomena where religious consciousness is socially produced. And this social production of religion can be stopped, because we can change social structures by revolutionary action.

17. Teesi 8 All social life is essentially practical. All mysteries which lead theory to mysticism find their rational solution in human practice and in the comprehension of this practice.

18. Huttunen�s explanation This is Marx�s program for critical adult education. When we educate people they become Kantian autonomic subjects who recognize their social nature and understand that society is not any mystical entity. Society can be changed by praxis which is based on (scientific) knowledge of social reality. We can find rational solution for all social problems by changing social structures into �user-friendly� ones.

19. Teesi 9 The highest point reached by contemplative [anschauende] materialism, that is, materialism which does not comprehend sensuousness as practical activity, is the contemplation of single individuals and of civil society [b�rgerlichen Gesellschaft].

20. Huttunen�s explanation We can modernize this thesis by changing phrase �contemplative [anschauende] materialism� with �analytical philosophy of action�. Analytical philosophy of action mainly follows the principles of methodological individualism. According to such view society is reduced to actions and choices of individual like did Adam Smith who reduced society to �civil society� where egoistic individuals practice economical transactions.

21. Teesi 10 The standpoint of the old materialism is civil society; the standpoint of the new is human society or social humanity.

22. Huttunen�s explanation Here Marx refers Hegel�s notion on civil society and (ethical) state. Civil society means sphere of economical transactions done by egoistic individual. In this sphere another person is a rival. Sphere of state is ethical sphere where people are united and their feel solidarity (�us�; we as a member of a nation). Marx wants to remove this egoistic sphere of civil society and think future society as �human society� which correspond Hegel notion of ethical state. In future human society all those social structure which makes human fight and compete with each other are removed. It is a land of milk and honey (in spiritual sense) or mundane paradise: COMMUNISM.

23. Teesi 11 Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it. Die Philosophen haben die Welt nur verschieden interpretiert, es k�mmt drauf an, sie zu ver�ndern.