Marx and the Problem of Nihilism

Abstract

THE PAPER IS AN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER STANLEY ROSEN'S CHARGETHAT MARX'S VIEW OF MAN IS EITHER NIHILISTIC OR INCOHERENT.IT IS ALLEGED THAT MARX'S NOTION THAT MAN MAKES HIMSELFLEADS TO THE NIHILISTIC CONCLUSION THAT EVERYTHING ISPERMISSIBLE. THUS, MARX'S CONCEPT OF HUMAN ALIENATION ISEMPTY BECAUSE HE CANNOT MAKE GOOD ON THE NORMATIVE CONCEPTOF UNALIENATED EXISTENCE. I ATTEMPT TO EXTRICATE MARX FROMROSEN'S DILEMMA BY SHOWING THAT MARX'S NOTION OF HUMANSELF-CREATION IS NOT ONLY CONSISTENT WITH BUT REQUIRES THEAFFIRMATION OF A SOCIALIST FRAMEWORK. MARX'S CONCEPT OFUNIQUE HUMAN NEEDS TURNS OUT TO BE CRUCIAL.