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.
Key Concepts:
- Class struggle
- Proletariat vs. bourgeoisie
- Capitalism
- Protestant work ethic
Read This:
Pre-Class Questions
- 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”.
- Is there anything in today’s reading that you’re confused about? What questions do you have? What other, related topics would you like to discuss in class? Follow the links to respond on PollEverywhere, and/or upvote any classmates responses’ that you’d also like to see covered in class.
Content Reflection
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.
