Horkheimer’s critique of Lebensphilosophie defined Critical Theory’s foundations

Evidence

In all of Horkheimer’s writings on the Lebensphilosophen, three major criticisms were repeatedly made. By examining these in some detail, we can better understand the foundations of Critical Theory. First, although the philosophers of life had been correct in trying to rescue the individual from the threats of modern society, they had gone too far in emphasizing subjectivity and inwardness. In doing so, they had minimized the importance of action in the historical world. Second, with an occasional exception such as Nietzsche’s critique of asceticism, they tended to neglect the material dimension of reality. Third and perhaps most important, in criticizing the degeneration of bourgeois rationalism into its abstract and formal aspects, they sometimes overstated their case and seemed to be rejecting reason itself. This ultimately led to the outright mindless irrationalism of their twentieth-century vulgarizers. — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 214

Categorization

• SEED: The three criticisms of Lebensphilosophie — anti-subjectivism, anti-idealism, anti-irrationalism — could anchor an essay distilling what Critical Theory is by contrast with what it opposed.
• DEFINE: Defines Critical Theory structurally: as a third way between transcendental subjectivity and rejecting reason.
• XREF: connects to: By the 1930s, Lebensphilosophie had turned from critical correction into ideological apology — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination: A History…, 207; Critical Theory defined itself through critique of others rather than systematic positive statements — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination: A History…, 186; Adorno’s motto ‘life does not live’ inverts vitalist Lebensphilosophie into opposition to it. — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 918 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Adorno’s motto ‘life does not live’ inverts vitalist Lebensphilosophie into opposition to it. #exemplifies (0.90) — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 918
• Critical Theory defined itself through critique of others rather than systematic positive statements #expands (0.80) — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 186