Marxian Totality - (Historical Materialism Book) by Kaveh Boveiri (Hardcover)

About the Book

Marxian Totality is the first book-length monograph on the Marxian concept of totality to be written from a philosophical and sociopolitical perspective and with a special focus on its methodological implications.

Book Synopsis

The present volume represents the first book-length monograph on the Marxian concept of totality as seen from a philosophical and sociopolitical perspective. Drawing on a large number of classical and contemporary works, Boveiri elucidates the distinctive features of Marxian totality with a particular focus on its methodology. The work has four fundamental elements, or moments. First, it develops arguments against undialectical conceptions of totality. Then it presents a critical reading of Hegelian totality focused on The Science of Logic. Its penultimate section examines the shortcomings of two well-known conceptions of totality, one by Georg Lukács, another by Karel Kosík, before a final section examines in detail the developmental characteristics of Marxian totality. The volume concludes with a chapter dealing with methodological implications.

Review Quotes

"In Marxian Totality: Inverting Hegel to Expound Worldly Matters, Kaveh Boveiri presents a groundbreaking monograph that analyses the Marxian concept of totality from both philosophical and sociopolitical perspectives. As the first book-length study dedicated exclusively to this subject, Boveiri's work offers a thorough examination of the distinctive features of Marxian totality, with a particular focus on its methodological underpinnings. [...] By bridging the gap between abstract theory and concrete reality, Boveiri reaffirms the enduring relevance of Marx's thought. He offers a compelling argument for the adoption of a Marxian dialectical totality as a means of comprehending and transforming the social world. Through his rigorous examination of both historical and contemporary perspectives, he provides valuable insights into the nature of totality, dialectics, and social change. This book shows the power of critical thought and its capacity to inform and inspire meaningful action in the pursuit of a more just and equitable society." -- Simon Gros, in: Marxian Totality: Inverting Hegel to Expound Worldly Matters, November 2024
"Kaveh Boveiri's Marxian Totality can be conceived as expanding and - to some extent - improving Karel Kosík's account of the notion of totality in the Dialectic of the Concrete (1963). [...] [The book] presents an interesting contribution to the topic of Marxian totality and a worthwhile discussion of Kosík's thought. A strong point of the book is also to engage the discussion not only with the English and German literature on the subject, but with the French as well, providing a well-rounded account of the topic." -- Emmanuel Chaput, Professeur de philosophie, Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, in: Marx and Philosophy Review of Books, December 2024