Horkheimer tied interdisciplinary theory to a small dedicated circle, then defended the opposite view.

Evidence

The loss of Pollock and Weil was harder for Horkheimer, since he connected interdisciplinary collaboration between theoreticians with the existence of a small, dedicated circle. Partly, perhaps, from bitterness that this dream could not be realized, and partly because his conception of it varied from time to time, he occasionally defended the opposite of what he had outlined in his letter to Weil. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 339

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: The Institute’s signature method of interdisciplinary collaboration is revealed as contingent on a fragile personal circle, so its theory and its sociology cannot be separated.
• XREF: connects to: Horkheimer believed only his small circle could sustain the slow work of philosophy. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 322
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: Horkheimer believed only his small circle could sustain the slow work of philosophy. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 322