An introduction to dialectics

Mehr zum Buch

This volume features Adorno's first lectures focused on the dialectic, a pivotal concept in philosophical discourse since antiquity. He examines connections to Plato and Kant while emphasizing Hegel's systematic development of the dialectic and its ties to Marx. Adorno articulates his own understanding of dialectical thinking as a critical response to this philosophical tradition. Delivered in the summer semester of 1958, the lectures delve into the challenges this mode of thought presented in the post-war cultural and intellectual landscape. Adorno posits a complementary relationship between positivist or functionalist approaches, particularly in the social sciences, and advocates for a revival of ontological and metaphysical thought to address the abstractness of modern social experience through regressive philosophical categories. He discusses central themes of Hegelian thought and references various philosophical, literary, and artistic figures significant to his critical theory, notably Walter Benjamin and the concept of a constellation of ideas representing an 'open or fractured dialectic' beyond rigid methods. Rich with anecdotes and personal reflections, these lectures offer insight into Adorno's intellectual process, making them an excellent resource for students and scholars in the humanities and social sciences interested in his work and dialectical thinking.