Have any marxist philosophers written about ethics and related topics?
Are marxist ethics even a thing?
How come I never heard about them?
If they are not what are some Holla Forums approved ethics schools and thinkers?
Have any marxist philosophers written about ethics and related topics?
Camden Martin
Colton Scott
Badiou has.
Alexander Hill
Bump please
William Hall
Good night bump
Jonathan Jackson
It seems political theorists in general have little concern for ethics, since political theory is inherently macroscopic and often about the ideal society, while ethics is microscopic, being about how to personally live your life and the ideal human. In general it seems like when people try to mix them it just compromises one: extrapolating ethics from political philosophy makes the ethics look like an ad hoc attempt to justify the ideal society or condemn the unideal one, while extrapolating political philosophy from ethics makes the politics vague and idealistic.
Tbh the Ancient Greek schools all had something useful the say, especially Epicurianism, Cynicism, and Stoicism. Epicurianism is just nice, simple philosophy that tries to be practical and not complex. Cynicism is particularly relevant to Leftism since it involves a radical critique of the irrationality of society and a rejection of its spooks, while its personal ethics is very much like modern political "dropping-out" with a heavy dose of aestheticism; obviously it won't cause a revolution but such a tactic might be the most sane thing an Egoist can do. Stoicism also has a nice perspective on ethics, particularly how it divides things in what you can control and what you can't, and it's only rational to focus on what you can and not what you can't, that being yourself and your perspective on the world and not the world itself; it tends to be overly idealistic though to the point where it says that humans are basically blank slates and capable of being indifferent to any external with the right mindset, in that sense it can be a very politically apologetic philosophy, which it has been historically, especially with its emphasis on everyone having their position in society for a reason and they should perform that position as well as they are able.
Buddhism is also a very nice philosophy. It shares the external/internal dichotomy of Stoicism but it's heavier on praxis and less apologetic on the present state of things.
Nicholas Bennett
I am aware of that but most of my concerns are not with ethics in society and politics byt on a case by case manner.
I'd read about the cynics years ago but I feel their ideas are insufficient for the present day, maybe I should read more greeks in general, virtue ethics is what greeks developed, right?
I don't know how to take that but is not good.
Also his work seems to be a moral defense of socialism while what I'm looking for is a more coherent school of ethics
Jack Perry
Well, they're as applicable now as they were then, considering its heavily focused on realizing the pointlessness and absurdity of society and living beyond it.
Ya.
David Edwards
Seems that I will have to reread the cynic biographies and read on virtue ethics
Blake Gray
to echo what others have said, Marx seemed to avoid ethics, largely because there is a degree of subjectivity in ethical arguments. On the contrary he focused on materialist arguments because they are based in reality.
So Marx's critique of capitalism, and promotion of a communist society, is not based in ethical arguments, what is "right" for the working class. It is simply argued that it is in the material interest of the working class, and thus the majority of the population to commit to the struggle for socialism. Furthermore, the struggle itself, the conflict and clashes between the working class and the capitalists is simply a result of competing interests, and that these struggles cannot be overcome until the capitalist class has been subverted and dissolved.
Parker Ward
That is something I wonder: materialist ethics, how would they work?
Henry Morales
I can't say for sure, I'm no philosopher, I'm a scientist so mentally I am really materialistic. "CAUSE-EFFECT-CAUSE-EFFECT" permeates through my brain like "age of consent" fury does through the mind of an ancap.
If I had to guess though it would essentially be related to capitalist degradation of the world and of society. You could argue that unchecked extraction of resources from the earth is leading to mass extinction. While this is, from a materialist interest not in our best interest, you could also argue it is morally objectionable since we are causing unjust suffering on the world, killing off animals and whatnot
IDK though its tricky. This post probably sucks and I'm sorry lol
Adrian Watson
You base your decisions on the material effect they have, and determine good or bad through observable material impact of them?
Hudson King
The insane bourgeois "rational self-interest" line you're using here is totally identical to a moral argument in every single way. The term "material interest" doesn't change the fact that you literally just said communism is the right course of action for working people.
Politics is ethics.
James Morris
Except that it’s not right for ethical reasons, but purely self interested ones. Although I suppose you could argue that pursuit of self interest being seen as a good thing is itself a code of ethics. You can’t really have any political ideas without a system of ethics, since politics can be seen as the practical application of ethics.
Tyler Stewart
um it has nothing to do with right and wrong. If you keep stepping on somebody's foot, eventually they will shove you off. It is simply a reaction.
You keep fucking over the working class through austerity, through exploitation, eventually they are going to shove you out of the way. If you threaten their survival, they will fight for it. Its simple cause and effect friendo, whether or not it is right or wrong is irrelevant.
Kevin Gutierrez
Satre
Aiden Flores
What is good is what creates the optimal life for the individual, and since all individuals share the same base nature, the same ethical principles apply. I honestly think ethics could be an entire field of psychology if properly studied. There does seem to be objectively better ways for humans to live, and those ways seem to be inherently pro-social.
Hunter Young
That iisn't marxist materialism
Tell me more
Hmm… I have lots to read.
Gavin Ross
...
Austin Torres
Yes, plenty.
No. Some Marxists have tried to develop Marxist ethics, but they have never caught on, as they are not necessary. If you need "ethics" to justify Marxism, then you are missing the point of Marxism.
Because Marxism is based on a teleological view of history and therefore does not need ethics to justify itself.
I unironically advocate rational egoism and ethical hedonism. These are entirely compatible with Marxism, and I have never seen a compelling argument to move beyond them.
Grayson Howard
sweet, I think I will like this one
Never heard of this author, sell it to me
As I've said my ethical concerns are not political but a case by case thing.
Isaac Powell
Bump