Recovering theory’s independence serves practice’s own interest

Evidence

The liquidation of theory by dogmatization and thought taboos contributed to the bad practice; the recovery of theory’s independence lies in the interest of practice itself. The interrelation of both moments is not settled once for all but fluctuates historically … The remaining theoretical inadequacies in Hegel and Marx became part of historical practice and can thus be newly reflected upon in theory, instead of thought bowing irrationally to the primacy of practice. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 2531

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: Inverts the usual practice-primacy assumption: dogmatic liquidation of theory harms practice, and theory’s regained independence is what practice needs — a genuinely dense, counterintuitive reconfiguration of the theory-practice relation.
• XREF: Connects to the claim that ‘Adorno’s essayistic free thought was a utopia that avoided empirical engagement’ (ch80) and to Habermas’s later recuperation of praxis-oriented theory. — connects to: Radicalized self-reflection can reveal the hidden practical roots of pure theory — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 2328; Marxist currents widely subordinated theory to practice’s needs; Truth of a theory is independent of either its productivity or its non-application (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Radicalized self-reflection can reveal the hidden practical roots of pure theory #corroborates (0.85) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 2328
• Truth of a theory is independent of either its productivity or its non-application #corroborates (0.82)
• Marxist currents widely subordinated theory to practice’s needs #contradicts (0.80)
• Theory develops unevenly, paced by practical necessities rather than its own logic #complicates (0.78)