Eros and Civilization : A Philosophical Inquiry into Freud (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: repressive reality principle, established reality principle, repressive civilization, New York, Collected Papers, Hogarth Press (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A Philosophical Inquiry into Freud

"A philosophical critique of psychoanalysis that takes psychoanalysis seriously but not as unchallengeable dogma. . . . The most significant general treatment of psychoanalytic theory since Freud himself ceased publication."
-Clyde Kluckhohn, The New York Times

About the Author

Marcuse is a Beacon Press author.

Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (September 15, 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807015555
• ISBN-13: 978-0807015551
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #459,590 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cornerstone of modern sociopolitical philosophy, February 18, 1999

By A Customer

So I'm the first one to tackle this one ?!? So be it: first published in 1955, "Eros" is a cornerstone of modern sociopolitical philosophy. It's a radical work, in the sense that Marcuse goes back to the roots and undertakes the task of carrying Freudian theory to its inescapable implications. (A task, by the way, set down by Herr Doktor Professor himself; if your edition of the Britannica still has the text originally written by Freud in 1926 for the "psychoanalysis" entry, check out his statement that "the future will probably attribute far greater importance to psychoanalysis as the science of the unconscious than as a therapeutic procedure".) As all true masterpieces, "Eros" is not flawless: in the latter part of the book, Marcuse falls into the trap of trying to describe / prescribe how a society freed from repression would organize itself for the common good, rather than self-destructing - and, of course, fumbles royally (a failure he admitted to in his later works). No matter; unless you've read it, you're like Dylan's Mr. Jones, and will have no inkling on how (and, most importantly, why) capitalism reinvented itself from industrial back into financial, much less on what the current "global crisis" is all about. I dare suggest that "Eros" be read back-to-back with Christopher Lasch's "The Culture of Narcissism". In a strange way, they complement each other

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable reading, December 26, 2000

By A Customer

Marcuse's attempt to combine Marx and Freud, and his vision of a non-repressive civilization (as well as his views on phantasies, art, myths and even perversions as anticipiations of such a society) is one of the masterpieces of utopian thought. After reading it your daydreams will never be the same again. It is not an easy text: the first part is certainly dry at times, and presupposes some familiarity with Freud (it is useful to read his Civilization and its discontents along with Marcuse's text). But the second part is truly of masterpiece. Anybody intesested in art, sexual liberation, ecology or psychoanalysis will find this essential reading. Far from being a rehash of Fromm, Marcuse accuses Fromm et. al. of removing the truly subversive elements from Freud. But read it, anf find out for yourself.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eros and Civilization in Context, April 7, 2009

By	Julio Feijoo (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Eros and Civilization (Ark Paperbacks) (Paperback)

Herbert Marcuse's 'Eros and Civilization' is emblematic of the aspect of his work that integrates Freudian theory with Marxian doctrine. Although he primarily deals with Freud and the issue of society's use of repression (psychological and political) in the service of production, he deals with Marxist theory also when you read between the lines. The theme of alienation of labor is clearly one of the resounding and recurring notes in the symphony.
As a psychotherapist intimately acquainted with developments in psychoanalytic theory in the fifty odd years since Marcuse wrote, this project involves some perils as well as some rich veins of thought. To philosophize on the basis of a theory which is derived primarily from clinical work in which two individuals share in a closed setting is always dangerous. In addition, to take Freud's formulations for granted, and then proceed to apply them to social and political systems is a big stretch. I would say primarily that the main flaw in Marcuse's thesis is his acceptance of Thanatos, or the so-called death principle, which is no longer accepted by any school of psychoanalysis. Unfortunately, Freud's own tendency to speculate both in the fields of anthropology and metaphysics, does not help Marcuse any. If one studies Talcott Parsons and his brilliant work on social systems (The Social System) using social theory, one can see a great deal of resonance with Marcuse's analysis of repression as a cultural control mechanism.
To balance the equation, I believe Marcuse brings to surface themes which have been abandoned in modern social discourse through sheer inertia and the grinding power of the repressive culture. The description of the role the inner agencies (i.e. the superego) play in integrating an individual into a particular society is a brilliant analysis. If our culture seemed "successful" as a consumer society then, the movement has only expanded to the point the culture in general has lost sight of how our citizens are enslaved by the very "American dream" we tell ourselves will bring happiness. The concept of an infinitely expanding economy, the measurement of the nation's well being by primarily economic and political indicators, the military displacement of aggression to an outside "evil" enemy, the frenzied pursuit of built-in obsolence have all metastasized, and Marcuse has put them to the microscope.
I would say that at a time when our country is having a resurgence of hope, Marcuse's work offers a very important analytic tool with which think about where we are and where we want to go as a people, and a void re-creating excessively repressive social structures.