Ideas from 'Dialectic of Enlightenment' by T Adorno / M Horkheimer [1944], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Dialectic of Enlightenment' by Adorno/Horkheimer [Verso 1997,1-85984-154-6]].

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1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 5. Critical Theory

15663

Adorno and Horkheimer subjected the Enlightenment to 'critical theory' analysis

			Full Idea: Adorno and Horkheimer's analysis of Enlightenment sets the agenda for the subsequent development of critical theory.
			From: report of T Adorno / M Horkheimer (Dialectic of Enlightenment [1944]) by James Gordon Finlayson - Habermas Ch.1:07

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 9. Limits of Reason

24318

Instrumental Reason aims at efficient management, of humanity as well as of nature

			Full Idea: 'Instrumental reason' sees everything, including human beings, as resources to be efficiently managed. This was honed in the early Enlightenment, to master nature, but inevitably led to systems of social control.
			From: report of T Adorno / M Horkheimer (Dialectic of Enlightenment [1944]) by Jaime Edwards/Brian Leiter - Marx 7.5
			A reaction: This startling book evidently sees the Enlightenment as a supreme source of evil. I guess Bentham's Panopticon illustrates the idea, followed through by Foucault. What can you possibly be for, if you are against reason?

22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / b. Rational ethics

20572

De Sade said it was impossible to rationally argue against murder

			Full Idea: De Sade trumpeted far and wide the impossibility of deriving from reason any fundamental argument against murder.
			From: T Adorno / M Horkheimer (Dialectic of Enlightenment [1944], p.118)
			A reaction: [They focus on 'Juliette'] This is a big problem for utilitarians, because murdering an unhappy person may maximise happiness. Presumably a maniac could will universal carnage, and thus thwart Kant.