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Upon reading the chapter entitled "Dialectical Materialism", [PLE, pp. 216–66] one is tempted to conclude that it is mistitled. Although its pages contain a lengthy discussion and critique of Marx's thought, the chapter is more a discussion and critique of dialectical philosophy in general. In addition, its ultimate argument appears to have little to do with either Marx or materialism. Therein, Bogdanov stated that the philosopher must recognize the limitations of dialectical schemes and go beyond them in search of a more universal method of explanation and view of world-process in order to solve the contemporary problem of philosophy. That he had to dispose of the dialectic of Marx along the way toward his demand for a more universal method was hardly incidental, however. Marxism was far more than a moment in the history of dialectical thinking for Bogdanov. As we shall see, it was an important, if not the most important, step toward the solution to the problem of philosophy. Although he was compelled to criticize Marx's method, Bogdanov did so while affirming his contributions to a "truly active" view of man and the world. As in other parts of The Philosophy of Living Experience, one gets the impression in this chapter that Marx was actually very close to being Bogdanov's philosopher-for-the-present. His critique of Marx may be reduced to the single accusation that the latter's method of explanation and view of process was inappropriate to his otherwise genuinely active worldview.

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-009-9879-7_4

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