Date: Sat, 17 Feb 1996 12:52:14 -0700 (MST)
From: HANS DESPAIN <HANS.DESPAIN-AT-m.cc.utah.edu>
Subject: Re: Materialism


It seems to me that a direct connection to Spinoza is very feasible.  But i 
would agree with Justin this was probably more second hand in the sense of 
coming through Hegel, but (we could add) also Marx's reading of Kant.

Moreover, it seems that Marx's materialism is developed (most) directly 
from Feuerbach.  There is seems little doubt about this, however, maybe 
someone knows the materialist influences on Feuerbach himself?

Beyond Feuerbachian materialism, does anyone have any thoughts on 
Feuerbach's relational sociology, and its influence on Marx?

For Feuerbach, Love is understood to be the *real* union between human 
beings, and not Faith (in God) or the human institution of Religion 
built on this Faith.  i have in mind here Feuerbach's chapter 
from *The Essence of Christianity* "The Contradiction of Faith and 
Love".  This aspect of Feuerbach's influence has recieved very little 
attention, but seems very significant.

Feuerbach here is following the Enlightenment in a belief that Love, 
Empathy, Cooperation, and (especially human) Reason behold the potential
for human emancipation from material misery, rather than a Faith in a Divine
or supernatural communion.

Marx's Value form expresses the mutated form that human relationships take 
under capitalism, which seems to have a connection or similarity to the 
mutated form human relations takes under Faith (in the Divine) rather than 
(human) Love of Feuerbach.

Does anyone see this connection has something significant for (especially 
the "old") Marx.  

Feuerbach, btw, did read *Capital* and was especially affectionate toward 
the way Marx exposed the inhumane conditions of capitalism.

hans despain
University of Utah
despain-AT-econ.sbs.utah.edu


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