What role should work play in your conception of eudaimonia? In this session, we will look at Karl Marx’s critical examination of work, focusing on his theories of class struggle and alienation. We’ll explore Marx’s ideas about how the commodification of labor can conflict with our pursuit of a good life and consider his vision of work’s potential to serve as a means of genuine self-fulfillment.
Read This:
Work and Identity: Karl Marx and Max Weber
Key Concepts:
- Class struggle
- Proletariat vs. bourgeoisie
- Capitalism
- Protestant work ethic
Have questions or thoughts about the reading? Post them on PollEverywhere, and upvote any classmates’ responses that you’d like to cover in class. We’ll address the most upvoted responses during the Q&A part of class.
Do This:
- Submit your final reflection for Map to the Good Life by November 25.
- Work on your Apology essay (due December 8).
Pre-Class Questions
Your responses to the following questions are due on Canvas before class. Your top 15 scores of the semester will count toward your final grade.
- Choose a workplace you are familiar with (for example, a local business you frequent, somewhere you’ve worked, etc.). Of everyone involved in running this business, who would Marx say belongs to the “proletariat” and who belongs to the “bourgeoisie”? Explain why. Is there anyone involved who is difficult to classify in these terms?
- In your own words, explain what Max Weber means by the “Protestant work ethic” and identify one aspect of society today that could be understood as an effect of it.
- In your own words, explain what Marx means by “communism” and how this differs from “capitalism”.
Living the Good Life
Reflections addressing prompts from the Meaning unit (“Choose Your Meaning” through “Reflect On Your Death”) are due on Canvas by 11:59pm on December 13. You may write up to two “Living the Good Life” reflections in the first half of the semester and up to two in the second half of the semester. You can also revise and resubmit one reflection for a new grade, within one week after your grade is posted. Your top three scores will count toward your final grade.
Find one piece of career advice that is common around Notre Dame (either from the career center or from advice other students give). Do you find this advice philosophically defensible? Why or why not? In your analysis, discuss at least one philosophical idea from today’s reading or lecture.
