Louis Althusser Books

First published as Sur la reproduction, [copyright] Presses Universitaires de France 1995.

Originally published: Ecrits sur l'histoire, 1963-1986. Paris: Humensis, 2018.

A collection of essays by the leading French thinker

Acknowledgments Introduction by Warren Montag Note on the text by G.M. Goshgarian Philosophy for Non-Philosophers 1. What Non-philosophers Say 2. Philosophy and Religion The Big Detour 3. Abstraction 4. Technical Abstraction and Scientific Abstraction 5. Philosophical Abstraction 6. The Myth of the State of Nature 7. What is Practice? 8. The Practice of Production 9. Scientific Practice and Idealism 10. Scientific Practice and Materialism 11. Ideological Practice 12. The Ideological State Apparatuses 13. Political Practice 14. Psychoanalytic Practice 15. Artistic Practice 16. Philosophical Practice 17. Dominant Ideology and Philosophy 18. Philosophy as Theoretical Laboratory 19. Ideology and Philosophy 20. Philosophy and the Science of Class Struggle 21. A New Practice of Philosophy 22. The Dialectic: Laws or Theses? Notes Index

Can psychoanalysis expand our comprehension of social and political life?

What is to be done? This was the question asked by Lenin in 1901 when he was having doubts about the revolutionary capabilities of the Russian working class. 77 years later, Louis Althusser asked the same question. Faced with the tidal wave of May ‘68 and the recurrent hostility of the Communist Party towards the protests, he wanted to offer readers a succinct guide for the revolution to come. Lively, brilliant and engaged, this short text is wholly oriented towards one objective: to organise the working class struggle. Althusser provides a sharp critique of Antonio Gramsci’s writings and of Eurocommunism, which seduced various Marxists at the time. But this book is above all the opportunity for Althusser to state what he had not succeeded in articulating elsewhere: what concrete conditions would need to be satisfied before the revolution could take place. Left unfinished, it is published here in English for the first time.

Emerging from Althusser's most prolific period, this work is poised to become a classic in philosophical literature. It delves into his influential theories and concepts, offering profound insights that challenge traditional perspectives. Readers can expect a rigorous exploration of ideology, politics, and the structures that shape society, making it essential for anyone interested in critical theory and contemporary thought.

The book features three significant essays by Louis Althusser from the 1970s, each exploring self-criticism. The first addresses the political roots of Stalinism, linking it to a legacy of economism in the Second and Third Internationals. The second essay offers a critical reflection on Althusser's philosophical journey in the 1960s, including his engagement with structuralism. The final piece is an autobiographical account detailing his intellectual evolution from 1945 to 1975, presented during his doctoral ceremony at the University of Picardy.

Focusing on the early intellectual development of Louis Althusser, this collection showcases his writings before his break with Hegelian philosophy in 1953. It includes his influential essay "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses," providing a glimpse into his initial engagement with Hegel's ideas. The book highlights Althusser's complex relationship with humanist Marxism and the philosophical influences of Hegel and Catholicism that shaped his thought.

The classic analysis of how particular political and cultural ideas come to dominate society