Since the collapse of Euro-Communism in 1989, the ideas of Marx have largely been discarded as little more than historical relics. There is a good reason for the neglect. The governments that Marxism spawns are among ...Since the collapse of Euro-Communism in 1989, the ideas of Marx have largely been discarded as little more than historical relics. There is a good reason for the neglect. The governments that Marxism spawns are among the most brutal in history. Equally condemnable for a philosopher who bases his theory on a science of historical development, most of Marx＇s key predictions turn out to be incorrect. What then is left of Marx＇s principles？ This paper argues that Marx is best understood as a critic of the injustice of industrial societies. Marx＇s essential critical concept is alienation. The paper presents the first complete analysis of Marx＇s treatment of alienation and offers a brief assessment of how this concept applies to our time.展开更多
One of cinematic science fiction＇s most popular plot lines is to imagine an invasion of earth by an advanced alien species. James Cameron＇s Avatar turns the tables on that premise. Humans attack a peaceful, less tec...One of cinematic science fiction＇s most popular plot lines is to imagine an invasion of earth by an advanced alien species. James Cameron＇s Avatar turns the tables on that premise. Humans attack a peaceful, less technologically sophisticated race in order to exploit their natural resources. Driving the assault is a mining company hell-bent on improving its bottom line. The villain of Avatar is not a person, but those people who seek profit. To put it starkly, business is evil. But why has the entertainment business cast business as a heavy？ Hollywood has now made Immanuel Kant as the director of moral sentiment. Not, of course, directly, but rather the ghostwriter of Hollywood＇s ideas about morality. The works of Kant are not discussed or debated in the public arena, but their principles have influenced the way people think about what is just and good. The ideas of Kant have filtered into the contemporary discourse and are one of the key ingredients in the national dialogue over what it means to be moral. The categorical imperative holds that an action is moral only if it is free from calculation of reward or gain. To be truly, moral people must abandon all practical considerations of need or desire; they must be directed by pure good will alone. Business people can never measure up to Kant＇s standard. They always make choices based on cost and benefit. Their businesses would quickly go bankrupt, if they made decisions on good will rather than interest. Kant＇s principles have raised the moral standard so high that even the common inclination to seek one＇s own benefit is looked on with some mistrust. In Kantian-influenced movies, business people have come to play the evil antagonist; they seek gain instead of the good. How would Adam Smith, the father of economic rationality, respond to popularized Kantian morality？展开更多
文摘Since the collapse of Euro-Communism in 1989, the ideas of Marx have largely been discarded as little more than historical relics. There is a good reason for the neglect. The governments that Marxism spawns are among the most brutal in history. Equally condemnable for a philosopher who bases his theory on a science of historical development, most of Marx＇s key predictions turn out to be incorrect. What then is left of Marx＇s principles？ This paper argues that Marx is best understood as a critic of the injustice of industrial societies. Marx＇s essential critical concept is alienation. The paper presents the first complete analysis of Marx＇s treatment of alienation and offers a brief assessment of how this concept applies to our time.
文摘One of cinematic science fiction＇s most popular plot lines is to imagine an invasion of earth by an advanced alien species. James Cameron＇s Avatar turns the tables on that premise. Humans attack a peaceful, less technologically sophisticated race in order to exploit their natural resources. Driving the assault is a mining company hell-bent on improving its bottom line. The villain of Avatar is not a person, but those people who seek profit. To put it starkly, business is evil. But why has the entertainment business cast business as a heavy？ Hollywood has now made Immanuel Kant as the director of moral sentiment. Not, of course, directly, but rather the ghostwriter of Hollywood＇s ideas about morality. The works of Kant are not discussed or debated in the public arena, but their principles have influenced the way people think about what is just and good. The ideas of Kant have filtered into the contemporary discourse and are one of the key ingredients in the national dialogue over what it means to be moral. The categorical imperative holds that an action is moral only if it is free from calculation of reward or gain. To be truly, moral people must abandon all practical considerations of need or desire; they must be directed by pure good will alone. Business people can never measure up to Kant＇s standard. They always make choices based on cost and benefit. Their businesses would quickly go bankrupt, if they made decisions on good will rather than interest. Kant＇s principles have raised the moral standard so high that even the common inclination to seek one＇s own benefit is looked on with some mistrust. In Kantian-influenced movies, business people have come to play the evil antagonist; they seek gain instead of the good. How would Adam Smith, the father of economic rationality, respond to popularized Kantian morality？
