Reification: A New Look at an Old Idea The Berkeley Tanner Lectures by Axel Honneth 2012-01-01 Paperback

The book "Reification: A New Look at an Old Idea" by Axel Honneth has received mixed reviews from customers. One reviewer criticizes the digital version of the book, stating that it lacks footnote links, making it difficult to navigate and access the footnotes. Another reviewer goes as far as calling the book "lousy" and blames the author for the downfall of the Frankfurt school and critical theoretical tradition. However, the reviewer does acknowledge a couple of positive aspects of the book. They appreciate that the title accurately reflects the content, as the book explores the idea of reification in a new way. The reviewer believes that reification is an important concept that deserves more attention in philosophical, political, and psychological discourse. Additionally, the book raises a fundamental problem with rights and justice-based approaches, arguing that even if a just solution is achieved, there can still be underlying pathologies that need to be addressed. Despite these initial positive points, the reviewer finds many flaws in the book. They criticize Honneth for misinterpreting and misrepresenting the old idea of reification, leading to a new idea that is disconnected from its original context. The reviewer asserts that Honneth fails to understand the theories of Marx and Lukács, overlooking the structural analysis of capitalism that is essential to fully comprehend reification. The reviewer also argues that Honneth's theory on the primacy of recognition over cognition is undermined by his lack of understanding of reification as a socio-structural phenomenon. Overall, the reception of the book is mixed, with some readers finding it interesting and offering a fresh take on the concept of reification, while others criticize it for its flawed interpretation of the original idea and its disregard for the theories of Marx and Lukács.