Adorno’s Positive Dialectic

This book offers an interpretation of the work of Theodor Adorno. In contrast to the conventional view that Adorno’s is in essence a critical philosophy, Yvonne Sherratt traces systematically a utopian thesis that pervades all the major aspects of Adorno’s thought. She places Adorno’s work in the context of German Idealist and later Marxist and Freudian traditions, and then analyses his key works to show how the aesthetic, epistemological, psychological, historical and sociological thought interconnect to form a utopian image. The book will be eagerly sought out by students and specialists in philosophy, social and political theory, intellectual history, literary theory and cultural studies.

• Adorno appeals to a broad, interdisciplinary market • Controversial thesis arguing that Adorno’s philosophy is utopian in its thrust

Contents

Preface; Abbreviations; General introduction; Prelude to Adorno’s Intellectual Tradition: Prelude I: Adorno's intellectual tradition: German philosophy; Prelude II: Adorno's intellectual tradition: Sigmund Freud; Part I. Negative Thesis: The Decline of Enlightenment: 1. The decline of subjectivity: the instincts; 2. The decline of subjectivity: narcissism; 3. The decline of knowledge acquisition; 4. Knowledge acquisition: a negative solution; Part II. Positive Thesis: The Redemption of Enlightenment: 5. The aesthetic: aura; 6. Knowledge acquisition: an aesthetic form; 7. A positive dialectic of knowledge acquisition; 8. A positive dialectic of subjectivity: the instincts; 9. A positive dialectic of subjectivity: the structure of the self; Concluding comments; Bibliography; Index.

Review

‘Yvonne Sherratt’s interpretation of Adorno’s positive dialectic is provocative, lucid and original. By reconstructing hidden Freudian dimensions, she rescues Adorno’s critique of enlightenment from poststructuralist pessimism. By insisting on an aesthetic way of knowing, she reclaims Adorno’s utopian language from Habermasian neglect. And by reconciling these two poles in Adorno’s dialectic, Yvonne Sherratt suggests a new relevance for Adorno’s work.’

– Lambert Zuidervaart, Calvin College