Modernity and philosophy in Max Horkheimer

Modernity and Philosophy in Max Horkheimer reveals how Max Horkheimer's programme of critical theory and his scholarly work as a university professor and thinker are deeply rooted in the cogency of philosophical questions. It also shows his in-depth knowledge of the historical development of philosophical problems, closely intertwined with the socio-economic framework that shaped 'bourgeois society' and the Modern Era.

His analyses of modern philosophers enable us to understand how the bourgeoisie seeks legitimisation and consolidation of its position, partly through the voices of its thinkers. Through his investigation of early modern philosophy and constant dialogue with colleagues such as Adorno, Marcuse, Pollock, and Fromm, Horkheimer demonstrates a profound awareness of the critical force inherent in thought. This critical force, although vulnerable to crisis and weakening, can always be reactivated.