霍克海默批判理论视域下的《人的概念》

To Read The Concept of Man from the Perspective of Horkheimer’s Critical Theory

对人的问题的理论关注,是马克斯·霍克海默自批判理论创立以来一直思考的主题。20世纪50年代晚期《人的概念》一文,成为他后期对人的问题考察的重要成果之一。文章篇幅虽短,却集中体现了批判理论主题和方法论的旨趣。不仅表明他对批判理论的持续探索和推进,对总体性和历史性方法论的坚持,对实证主义、形而上学、工具理性一以贯之的批判性立场;而且更重要的是揭示了晚期资本主义社会中,个体在工业和科学取得进步的同时却不得不面对的被动、无助等不幸境遇,充分体现了其早期所确立的批判理论在研究对象、任务、目标以及追求个人自由幸福和社会公正价值等方面的特质。

Theoretical attention to the human problem has been the theme of Marx Horkheimer’s thinking since the founding of critical theory.As one of his important papers on the human problem,The Concept of Man,published in the late 1950s,embodies the theme and methodology of critical theory although the article is short in length.It not only shows his continuous exploration and promotion of critical theory,his insistence on totality and historical methodology,and his consistent critical stance on positivism,metaphysics and instrumental rationality,but more importantly,reveals the unfortunate situation of individuals in the late capitalist society,who become passive and helpless while there is progress in industry and science.In short,the article fully embodies the theoretical characteristics of the early critical theory in the aspects of object,tasks,goals and the pursuit of individual freedom,happiness and social justice.