Introduction 24.9.

Introduction will discuss culture as something produced, and production as basic dimension of human culture. We will look at some philosophers and thinkers, especially Marx, and try to get some idea of a few basics of his, which have influenced later discussions. Especially "the commodity", "relations of production" and "capitalism" - and "reification" and "alienation" which will come up especially later with the Frankfurt School thinkers.

We will go on to The Frankfurt School, look at what it was and who were within it. And then end with speaking a little about Walter Benjamin, who has tried to study how capitalism affects our experience and way of living.

Potential reading:

Frankfurt School webpages where you can see a short introduction and links to various personages and their works.

Max Horkheimer's opening address is very informative.

Walter Benjamin has several relevant texts, but his Theses on the Philosophy of History could be a good starting-point here.