An Essay On The Human Thought Of Marcuse's Society Critical Theory

Herbert Marcuse, one of the important representatives in Frankfurt school of thought, inherits the idea of the school in his theory of social critique to seek an ideal society and really liberate the individuality by criticizing the current society. This paper investigates and studies his theory from the humanistic perspectiveThis paper consists of four parts. In the first part, the paper introduces the current research of Marcuse's thought and the theoretical and practical significance of looking into his theory from the humanistic perspective. In the second part, it analyses his theory's historical background and probes the origin of his theory which comprises Marx's humanistic thought, Heidegger's existential ontology and Freud's Psychoanalysis. In the third part, the paper summarizes the contents of his theory. He begins with criticizing suppressed Eros and one-dimensional people and then criticizes the dimensionization in the modern western society and technical rationality which is the origin of alienation in order to seek the way of human emancipation and construct his own new revolutionary theory. Finally the paper reveals the humanistic connotation in his theory. He establishes his idea of Eros essence by integrating Freud's psychoanalysis with his interpretation on Marx's Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 and views it as the basis of his social critical theory. Meanwhile, he believes human eros is suppressed by the social systems and the technical rationality which becomes a new control, makes the system rational. Individuality becomes one-dimensional person because of losing self-criticism, self-negation and self-surpassing .Besides; he criticizes not only the problems in capitalist societies but also the technological rationality. He is sure that it is necessary to carry out the overall revolutionary to get rid of the reality and realize the general human emancipation and the art revolution is the only way to awake people's consciousness and gain the real emancipation. This paper reveals connotation of his humanistic thought by following his theory trait. Clearly, the he begins with human's existence and ends with human emancipation in his critical theory which is his constant focuses. Despite his faults and limitlessness in his theory, the humanistic brilliance in his thought is beneficial to construct our society and realize the human's comprehensive development.