[Video] ‘The History of Philosophy: a Marxist Perspective’ – the dialectical development of thought

It is only a few days until the launch event for The History of Philosophy: a Marxist Perspective by Alan Woods. As marxist.com editor Fred Weston explains in this video, Woods uses the method of historical materialism to analyse the development of human thought down the ages. What is described is a process of development of thought from lower to higher – not in a linear and automatic way but through contradiction and struggle.

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Starting with the struggles and insights of the earliest, primitive humans in their bid merely to survive, through the emergence of class societies and the blossoming of thought in the slave society of Ancient Greece, the book traces philosophy’s development all the way to Marx and Engels, who drew upon the best of earlier philosophy to produce the Marxist philosophical outlook. Dialectical materialism, the method of Marx and Engels, looks at the world, not as a static, immovable reality, but in its constant change and motion in accordance with laws that can be discovered.

The History of Philosophy is an excellent book to help the reader understand the method of Marxism. In the midst of the deepest crisis the capitalist system has ever seen, there has never been a more important time to study Marxist philosophy. Far from being a dry and academic pursuit, as is the case with official philosophy today, for Marxists our philosophical outlook forms an indispensable guide to action. As Lenin pointed out, “without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement”.

This book should therefore be bought, read and studied by all those who want to fight to do away with this rotten system. It is a vital handbook for revolutionaries today.

Join Alan Woods for a discussion of his new book on the history of philosophy from a Marxist perspective on 26 September. The event, which takes place on Zoom, is free, but we welcome donations. Attendees also have the option to pre-order the book with their ticket for a special launch price. After Alan has introduced the book, there will be plenty of time for questions and comments.

Please join the guest list for the launch Zoom event. We will send you the event link at 9am on the morning of the event.