The next discipline to contrast is that of Psychology. This asks the question, “what about human nature”? The view Marx takes for this is “Monism”, otherwise known as behavioralism. Although Marx rejected traditional behaviorism as it was incompatible with other parts of his theory it is still very similar. Behavioralism basically reduces human beings to animals, eliminating free will and making a person’s decisions completely determined by environment and genetics. The creator of this theory B. F. Skinner stated, “A scientific analysis of behavior dispossesses autonomous man and turns the control he has been said to exert over to the environment. The individual...is henceforth to be controlled by the world around him, and in large part by …show more content…
The Marxist theory of law is “Proletariat Law.” Marx held the viewpoint that the legal system was used to protect the bourgeois and oppress the proletariat’s. He believed that the rich had the power to create laws in order to take advantage of the poor. “Since the idea of law was interpreted by Marx as invariably an instrument of class domination, he argued that the coming of a classless society implied that all laws would have to disappear” (Zimmermann). Marxists would even use lawlessness in order to overthrow the bourgeois, this also ties in with the ethics of Communism. Anything is ethical as long as it pushes people toward the new world order. From a Biblical Worldview there is Divine/Natural Law. This means, that God has created divine laws and the means of discovering them (AllAboutWorldview.org). Psalm 127:1 describes law from a Biblical perspective very well. “ A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). This moves nicely into the next discipline which goes hand in hand with law,
government seems to feel the laws are fine the way they are. Marx explains how
Philosophers have tried to describe human nature in a plethora of diverse ways. Some focus on what they think humans are born as, what their life goals are, or what morals classify them as human. Mead and Marx both focus on the surroundings of certain types of people, and describe how this changes their human nature. In the process, they both describe similar but different human natures. Mead believes human nature is cultural, and therefore can be shaped by nurture. Marx believes there is a true human nature, that of a free species being, but our social environment can alienate us from it. To describe this nature, he first describes the class conflict between the bourgeois and the proletariats.
This economic determinism is reflected in Marx’s theory of law. Marx’s theory of law, which has greatly influenced social and jurisprudential thinking throughout the world, may be summarized in three principal assumptions: (1) Law is a product of evolving economic forces; (2) law...
Before expounding upon these ideas, it is necessary to establish a baseline from which to view these topics. It is important to realize that we as humans view everything from our own cultural perspective. Marx speaks of this saying, "Your very ideas are but the outgrowth of the conditions of your bourgeois production and bourgeois property, just as your jurisprudence is but the will of your class made into a law for all, a will, whose essential character and direction are determined by the economical conditions of existence of your class."
In the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx, with the help of Friedrich Engel, advocated for the violent overthrow of capitalism and the creation of a socialist society. According to Marx, “The history of hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” (184). Notably, Marx and Engel were the main proponents of communism. Marx’s main argument was that the society is the product of class conflict that results in different social classes with opposing economic interests. Importantly, Marx believed that the society comprised the oppressor and the oppressed, and the two are in constant conflict with each other. The ensuing conflict results in the revolutionary reorganization of the society, or the ruin of the opposing classes. Therefore, Marx, like Kant, saw the institutions of a given society as influential in determining its future. However, Marx argued that traditional institutions were unsuitable for a free and just society that respected human dignity. For example, he saw the modern bourgeoisie society as a product of the “ruins of feudal society,” meaning that the modern society is yet to resolve class antagonisms (184). Indeed, he sees the modern-day social classes as the products of the serfs and burgesses of the middle ages. In this regard, he claimed that the modern social structures are the products of a sequence of revolutions in the systems of production, as well as exchange. However, modern social structures are yet to enhance equity in the society. Therefore, Marx advocated for a revolution that would change the existing social structures and prepare the society to adopt communism. Unlike Kant’s idea of freedom of speech, which is a mind influencing process, Marx seemed more violent by the stating that “let the ruling classes tremble at a communistic revolution”
Welcome to CHSBS! | Central Michigan University. Karl Marx. Retrieved January 27, 2014, from http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/fattah/COURSES/modernthought/marx.htm
The mind versus the body has been a debate for many years, debate has always proven to be an extremely controversial discussion between various people and their beliefs. For many the idea of the mind being separated from the body is impossible to even think about and unreasonable, yet others may argue that mind can in fact be an entity apart from a physical body. Those who are monist believe that the world is simply made up of one substance, and minds must be contained in a tangible body in order to exist (“Monism”). Contrastingly, dualists emphasize the idea that the mind and the body are each compsed of different substances, allowing the pair to be separate. While these ideas have been unde scrutiny
While Marx did not delve deeply into crime and criminal activity, he argued that laws were put in place by the upper classes of society to serve their needs, most important being the suppression of other classes. His influence has been prodigious where governments, including the Chinese and the Soviet Union, and a movement that call themselves Marxists who at some point were more than the number of Christians in the world (Rader, 1979). This illustrates his conventional yet controversial way of thinking that has reverberated across societies and institutions. The opening statement that was made by Karl Marx will be resonated throughout this analysis into the Marxist theories, giving an in-depth scrutiny of the history and background of this theory, highlighting the critics of the theory and providing an example of the theory. The theory’s validity in the modern world and if it can be sustained given the changes on his depiction of society and the society as it exists today.
Rene Descartes certainly didn't lack for credentials. As the "Father of Rationalism," "Father of Modern Philosophy," and originator of Cartesian geometry, he had more than enough interests to fill his spare time. But his role as "Father of Skepticism" helped popularize a major change in thinking about the nature of human experience. Dualism, or the doctrine that mind and body are of two distinct natures, is one of the key philosophical problems inherited by psychology. In both philosophy and psychology there have been several attempts to reconcile the mind and body.
Analysis of the Main Strengths and Weaknesses of Marx’s Sociological Thought “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” Marx and Engels (1967, p.67) Born in 1818, Karl Marx, using his philosophical and socialist ideas, attempted to show how conflict and struggle in social development were important in the development of a society. The works of Marx were influenced by three distinct intellectual traditions: German idealist philosophy, French socialism and British political economy. German idealist philosophy is an approach based on the thesis that only the mind and its content really exist. This philosophy maintains that it is through the advance of human reason that human beings progress. French socialism is a political doctrine that emerged during the French Revolution and emphasised social progress led by a new industrial class.
Marxism derived from German philosophers Karl Marx (also a political economist/ sociologist) and Friedrich Engels in the middle of the 1800s. ‘Marxism is based on the idea that society is defined by the conflict between the ruling class (Bourgeoisie) and the working class (Proletariat) and these beings the two main classes’ (Hart, 2013). It states that those who have money and power in essence control society, and those without ways and means do not; and are at the mercy of the powerful and wealthy. In addition, Marxism considers the working class inferior to the ruling class as they get paid the lowest kind of pay and are removed from their work and is and exploited by their bosses (e.g. owners of the factory). Marxism also looks at/examines the social structure (structurally) and says that capitalism will ultimately fail (most likely through revolution such as what was seen in France among 1789 and 1799 and in Russia in 1917). In reference to the study of crime, to Marx the law is not something that upholds the interests of everyone but only the ruling class for instance white-collar crime would be encouraged to be ignored. Contrastingly, Functionalism which was first introduced by Emile Durkheim in 1894 and gained momentum in the mid-1900s, and believed that unlike Marxism which is dependent on that of the ruling class in society, e...
Karl Marx, father of Marxism, was born May 5th, 1818 in Germany. He is the world’s most renowned philosopher, journalist, economist and sociologist. He has published many articles but the theory of capitalism is possibly one of the most provoking theories in all of sociology. Marx saw capitalism to be eventually followed by socialism during its long progressive historical stage. Marx’s theory of capitalism is underlined in his works, “Das Kapital”. Marx argues that the significant trait behind capitalism is the force it exerts over labor. In Marx’s view, the dynamic of capitalism will eventually lead to revolution by the working class.
As a theory, Marxism is pretty complicated. You can think of Marxism as being three types of theory in one: philosophy, history, and economics. First, Marxism is a philosophical movement; Marx's ideas about human nature, and about how we know and function in the world come from traditions articulated by Hegel, Feuerbach, Kant, and other German philosophers. All of these guys, including Marx, are interested in the relation between materialist and idealist philosophy. As a philosopher, Marx helps create and define a branch of philosophy called DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM.
Natural law is also not a valid theory of law. Natural law is directly opposed to positivism. While positivists insist on a strict separation of law and morality, adherents of natural law insist on a clear link between the two. They believe that the operations of law and legality should be informed by God given values. However, this system is just too moral based. There are so many interpretations of nature, and we all have different sets of morals and values (which we are entitled to.) Regardless of our right to be entitled to our own morals and values, they should not have a place in court. While legal realism also relies partly on morals, it is not done to the extent of natural law. Legal realists argue that in order to understand the legal process, and make a decision, various factors (such as political, economic and social) must be taken into account. With legal realism, every little detail is considered, making it a reasonable legal theory. However, every legal theory has its pitfalls. There is always room for improvement, as no legal theory is perfect. With legal realism, judges are the authors of the law. There is a lot of responsibility and power in their hands when they are given the freedom to make their own judgements for cases. A great example of this is the case of Kim Davis. She attempted to deny marriage licenses to multiple homosexual couples, despite the
He is known worldwide for his numerous theories and ideas in regards to society, economics and politics. His outlook on these subjects is known as Marxism. Marxism focuses on the imbalance and struggle between classes and society. Marx’s theories stem from the concept of materialism based society and the implications thereof. These concepts leads to the Marxist theory of the failure of capitalism. Marx had a number of specific reasons for the downfall of capitalism yet capitalism remains very real and successful. Marxism covers a wide range of topics and theories, but an in depth analysis of his criticism to capitalism and how it is not relevant to modern day will be explored.