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Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department or Program Affiliation

History

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Neem, Johann N.

Second Advisor

Stewart, Mart A.

Third Advisor

Zarrow, Sarah

Fourth Advisor

Hasvik, Eirik

Abstract

Murray Bookchin's philosophy of social ecology, developed during the 1980s and ‘90s, sought to rejuvenate dialectical thinking and its ethical implications. Despite the significance of Bookchin’s ideas, no other work of scholarship has addressed the relationship of reason and ethics in his thought. Central to this relationship is Bookchin’s commitment to ontology and its importance for nature philosophy and social theory. In developing his ontological interpretation, Bookchin’s work responds not only to postmodern critiques of reason but also seeks to transcend the limitations of the Frankfurt School. By examining Bookchin’s intellectual dialogues with a diverse range of philosophers, including Aristotle, Hegel, Marx, Diderot, Adorno, Habermas, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, and Derrida, this thesis traces an intellectual history that underscores Bookchin’s role as a dialectician and ethicist. Understanding the coherence of Bookchin’s later thought becomes indispensable for scholars and activists alike in grasping the full picture of his overarching project to achieve a free and rational society.

Type

Text

Keywords

Murray Bookchin, social ecology, dialectical naturalism, Hegel, Frankfurt School, Adorno, Diderot, ontological ethics, Aristotle, Marx

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1439826185

Subjects – Names (LCNAF)

Bookchin, Murray, 1921-2006; Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich, 1770-1831--Influence; Adorno, Theodor W., 1903-1969--Influence; Diderot, Denis, 1713-1784--Influence; Aristotle--Influence; Marx, Karl, 1818-1883--Influence; Institut für Sozialforschung (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)--Influence

Subject – LCSH

Social ecology--Philosophy; Philosophy of nature; Dialectic; Naturalism; Dialectical materialism; Ontology--Moral and ethical aspects; Environmental ethics; Frankfurt school of sociology

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

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