Marx's Materialist Sociology of Knowledge: Colliding Empirical Frameworks of Consciousness

Abstract

‘Consciousness’ is among the more problematic and ambiguous terms in social science. In response to modernity, Karl Marx provided a new view of consciousness. The dissertation engages in Marx’s work beyond the confining frameworks of economism, history and philosophy. As we await the dawn of Marx’s proletarians revolution, the contemporary sciences continue to grapple with explaining consciousness. The dissertation examines how the sciences think about consciousness. What’s more, this project illustrates that explaining ‘consciousness’ will require more than rethinking our conceptualizations of ‘consciousness.’ Today’s understanding of ‘consciousness’ is such that new analysis is possible, but only in considering how scientific traditions stymie progress; all for the sake of tradition rather than truth.

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sociology

First Advisor

Debra Curtis

Date of Award

1-1-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

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