Wataru Hiromatsu – författare

Available for the first time in English, Wataru Hiromatsu's Schema of the Theory of Reification argues that the change from Marx's theory of self-alienation to the concept of reification is crucial in establishing a new relational worldview which is still relevant today. Amongst other topics, his discussion of the understanding of society sees such things as a relational dynamic wherein the individual is constantly composed and composing in relation to others, including nature. This understanding is, he argues, the "single science of history" of Marx and Engels. This innovation offers a way to overcome the hypostasizing subject - object relation still so prevalent today.Originally published in Japanese as Busshōkaron no kōzu by Iwanami Shoten, Publishers, Tokyo, 1983, 1994. © By Kuniko Hiromatsu.

Hiromatsu argues that the change from Marx's theory of self-alienation to the concept of reification is crucial in establishing a new relational worldview which is still relevant today. Amongst other topics, his discussion of the understanding of society sees such as a relational dynamic wherein the individual is constantly composed and composing in relation to others, including nature. This understanding is, he argues, the "e;single science of history"e; of Marx and Engels. It overcomes the hypostasizing subject - object relation still prevalent today. Originally published in Japanese as Busshokaron no kozu by Iwanami Shoten, Publishers, Tokyo, 1983, 1994. (c) By Kuniko Hiromatsu.

This book is a major early work of Japanese philosopher Wataru Hiromatsu (1933-1994). Originally published in 1972, the primary themeis overcoming the subject-object schema of modern philosophy.Hiromatsu seeks to replace this subject-object schema with what he calls the intersubjective fourfold structure, in which “the given is validas something more to someone as someone more.” This fourfold structure is not a sum of four independent elements, but exists only as afunctional relationship. From this relationist point of view, Hiromatsu develops his philosophical theory as a systematic critique of “reification,”defined as the hypostatizing misconception of a functional relation.