Against Nature: The Concept of Nature in Critical Theory (Social Polit Thought

by Steven Vogel

Argues that the tradition of critical theory has had significant problems dealing with the concept of nature and that their solutions require taking seriously the idea of nature as socially constructed.

“Vogel's book lies at the intersection of three important Marxist Critical Theory, postempiricist philosophy and sociology of science, and environmental ethics. It is truly excellent. The argument is original and convincing. The project of relating the Western Marxist tradition to contemporary trends in philosophy of science and environmental ethics enriches all three fields.”—Andrew Feenberg, San Diego State University

Against Nature examines the history of the concept of nature in the tradition of Critical Theory, with chapters on Lukacs, Horkheimer and Adorno, Marcuse, and Habermas. It argues that the tradition has been marked by significant difficulties with respect to that concept; that these problems are relevant to contemporary environmental philosophy as well; and that a solution to them requires taking seriously--and literally--the idea of nature as socially constructed.

“This is a stunningly good piece of work on a crucial problem within an influential tradition in twentieth-century philosophy. Vogel's book promises to be the definitive scholarly assessment of the problems and opportunities facing a Critical Theory of nature and science. Vogel sorts out the issues clearly and persuasively, showing how a fundamental, debilitating dilemma recurs throughout the tradition, yet also sympathetically displaying the strengths and accomplishments of each of the major figures, and suggesting a persuasive approach to avoiding the dilemma without abandoning the tradition's most basic commitments. All of the Critical Theorists are notoriously difficult writers, yet Vogel's own prose is a model of how to write philosophy accessibly.”—Joseph Rouse, Wesleyan University

“Vogel's book will immediately become the center of productive debate, since he uses such forceful arguments to slay a number of sacred cows. It will make him a major figure in his field.”—Michael Zimmerman, Tulane University

“In this reader's opinion, this book meets the highest standards of scholarly excellence, argumentative rigor, interpretive originality, and literary accomplishment.”—David Ingram, Loyola University of Chicago

Genres: Philosophy, Sociology

225 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Steven Vogel is a Professor of Philosophy at Denison University.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name:
(1) Steven Vogel - Biology
(2) Steven Vogel - Fashion
(3) Steven Vogel - Critical thought

Reviews

[Rhys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book. Vogel works through the Frankfurt School (Lukacs, Adorno, Horkheimer, Marcuse, Habermas) and evaluates the aporias of their philosophies as they apply to nature and society - more particularly, the social construction of nature.

The thesis is that nature is socially constructed: "It sees the relation of human subjects to the nature they inhabit as an active and world-changing one and want therefore to take seriously the idea of nature as a “social category” or more precisely as something socially constructed."

The goal is one in which "humans could take responsibility for the world they inhabit instead of believing that world to be determined by external forces they are unable to control". Finally, "The call for self-conscious acknowledgment by humans of their responsibility for the world is a call first of all for a new set of practices, but secondly also for a new form of social organization where such democratic decision-making would be both possible and encouraged, where (that is) something like an ongoing Habermasian discourse would find a means of being institutionalized."

It is a brilliant exegesis of Critical Theory and human responsibility to socially create a nature that has a place for future humans.