The Abdication of Philosophy — The Abdication of Man

A Critical Study of the Interdependence of Philosophy as Critical Theory and Man as a Free Individual

We live in a time of functionalism, operationalism and technologism with all its levelling, depersonalising and dehumanising effects. In such an age, the question arises of philosophy as critical, reflective theory about the world, man's position and purpose in the world and the relationship between philosophy and man as a free individual. This book makes an attempt to give an answer to this question. It has been written from great concern as to the future destiny of mankind, in the light of various contemporary attempts at the abolition of philosophy and at merging it in practice, as this practice is seen by the respective thinker or school of thought. This work may be seen as representing an answer to such attempts, as they are made, for instance, by the advocates of linguistic analysis or by representatives of the so-called Frankfurt School respectively. By an analysis of Western thought in general with emphasis on the present, the author of this book seeks to show that the abdication of philosophy as critical, reflective theory leads to the abdication of man as a critical, reflective individual, one that is free to dissent and to say No to the system. Man is perverted and alienated from his true nature. He is forced to conform and to lead an "unauthentic existence" within the system.