Marx's Thesis On Feuerbach Term Paper Sample

The work by Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach”, comprises 11 parts or theses. They were written by Marx in the end of 19th century, in 1845, however he himself didn’t publish, and after his death Engels publish it in 1884. Marx writes in his work about different points like “abstract thinking”, “social rebellion” changing the society” “sensuous contemplation”, “alienation and religious sentiments” and other things as well. Marx begins with “sensuous contemplation”. In the first thesis the author claims that “sensuousness that is perceived only in the form of the object or of contemplation.” (Marx) Therefore one can say that Marx here marks apart his own theory of materialism from all preceding theories of materialism by observing all people as being materially ambitious rather than just being “objects of admiration.” (Marx) Here, one can see sharp criticism of the contemplative materialism. This work determines political action as the main and exclusive philosophical truth.
Nevertheless, while the “Theses On Feuerbach” wants to keep the critical stance of critical idealism of Germany, one can observe the change of this criticism into political, practical and material terms. According to Marx, the most important thing is to alter the world with the help of active participation, with the help of different actions and through “practical critical activity in the material world” (Marx). He believes that it is not enough just to understand our world. Marx says: "Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it." (Marx)

Work Cited

Marx, Karl. Theses On Feuerbach. Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1969. Print. . . . . . . . . . . . . .