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Theodor W. Adorno's Philosophy, Society, and Aesthetics

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Provides a complete biographical and intellectual overview of Theodor W. Adorno
  • Offers a groundbreaking work by a leading Italian political philosopher to an English language audience for the first time
  • Of interest to philosophers, social theorists, intellectual and cultural historians and scholars of cultural studies

Part of the book series: Marx, Engels, and Marxisms (MAENMA)

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Introduction

    • Stefano Petrucciani
    Pages 1-14
  3. Philosophy

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 15-15
    2. An Idea of Philosophy

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 17-27
    3. What is the Meaning of ‘Negative Dialectics’?

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 29-48
    4. Dialectics and Metaphysics

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 49-66
  4. Society

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 67-67
    2. An Outdated Philosophy? Adorno’s Social Critique

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 69-78
    3. The Concept of Domination

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 79-88
    4. Is Marx Obsolete?

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 89-106
    5. The Decay of the Individual

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 107-116
    6. The Role of the Media and the Manipulated Democracy

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 117-121
  5. Aesthetics and Modernity

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 123-123
    2. Aesthetic Theory and Critical Praxis

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 125-132
    3. Adorno’s Engagement with Cultural Criticism

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 133-142
    4. Adorno, Habermas, and the Self-Criticism of Modernity

      • Stefano Petrucciani
      Pages 149-163
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 165-167

About this book

This book is a complete presentation of the most important themes of Theodor W. Adorno’s critical theory, and of its relevance for the understanding of the modern society. After an Introduction, which traces Adorno’s biographical and intellectual profile, the book is structured in three parts. The first is devoted to theoretical philosophy, and in particular to the concepts of philosophy, negative dialectics and metaphysics, and his aim is to clarify the Adornian understanding of such difficult concepts. The second is devoted to the main themes of Adorno’s social theory: the concept of domination, the relationship with Marxism, the theory of the decay of the individual, the critique of mass manipulation. The third part is devoted to aesthetics and culture criticism, and entails a conclusion in which the author outlines a confrontation between the Adornian and the Habermasian critique of modernity.      


Reviews

“In this terse, concise reconstruction of Adorno’s philosophy, Petrucciani unravels with remarkable clarity Adorno’s interrelated notions of philosophy, dialectics of enlightenment, negative dialectics and metaphysics, his theory of society (with special reference to domination, Marxism, the end of the individual), and approach to aesthetics and culture criticism. Eschewing the esoteric and at times obscure jargon of many exegetical monographs, in the final chapter Adorno’s understanding of modernity is insightfully contrasted with Habermas’s theory of modernity as an unfinished project... An indispensable tool for grasping Adorno's philosophy.” (Alessandro Ferrara, Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Philosophy, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy

    Stefano Petrucciani

About the author

Stefano Petrucciani is Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. His books include: Introduzione a Habermas, (2000), Modelli di filosofia politica (2003), Introduzione a Adorno (2007), Democrazia (2014), Storia del marxismo (2015), Marx critique du libéralisme (2018), Politica. Una introduzione filosofica (2020), and The Ideas of Karl Marx (2020).


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Theodor W. Adorno's Philosophy, Society, and Aesthetics

  • Authors: Stefano Petrucciani

  • Series Title: Marx, Engels, and Marxisms

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71991-3

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-71990-6Published: 23 April 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-71993-7Published: 23 April 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-71991-3Published: 22 April 2021

  • Series ISSN: 2524-7123

  • Series E-ISSN: 2524-7131

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 167

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Political Theory, Political Philosophy, Political History

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access