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Monday, July 18, 2005Why Marx is man of the momentGranted, the poll was conducted in Europe and among BBC readers. But the staggering lopsidedness of Karl Marx's victory as the leading philosopher of our age is nothing short of stunning: The puzzlement is understandable. Fifteen years ago, after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, there appeared to be a general assumption that Marx was now an ex-parrot. He had kicked the bucket, shuffled off his mortal coil and been buried forever under the rubble of the Berlin Wall. No one need think about him - still less read him - ever again.The article offers a brief glimpse as to why this might be. The result of this week's BBC poll suggests that Marx's portrayal of the forces that govern our lives - and of the instability, alienation and exploitation they produce - still resonates, and can still bring the world into focus. Far from being buried under the rubble of the Berlin Wall, he may only now be emerging in his true significance. For all the anguished, uncomprehending howls from the right-wing press, Karl Marx could yet become the most influential thinker of the 21st century.What bothers me slightly more is who came in second place: David Hume with over 12%. A distant third is Wittgenstein, followed by Neitzche, Plato, Kant, Aquinas, Socrates, Aristotle, and Karl Popper. Now it could be argued that we are talking about the most influential philosophers of our time. In one sense, the rise and fall of Marxist Socialism can be a signpost of influence. But what of the philosophies that brought the edifice down? Aquinas at 7th place?! No mention of Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke, Mill (none of the "social contract" philosophers made the cut), Kierkegaard, St. Augustine, Suarez, Descartes, Derrida, and suprisingly for a British poll, no Bertrand Russell. I wonder what an American poll would look like? I would imagine Locke would fare much better, as would Aquinas (Thomistic philosophy is all the rage in Catholic universities here in the States). Still, it's disturbing to think that Marx is enjoying a renaissance of sorts in a post-Soviet era.
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JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General?1) John Brownlee2) Ken Cuccinelli AboutShaunKenney.com is one of Virginia's oldest political blogs, focusing on the role of religion and politics in public life. Shaun Kenney, 30, lives in Fluvanna County, Virginia.ContactThe Jeffersoniad
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