Marcuse

Herbert Marcuse (1898-1979) is known to many as a leading figure of 1960s counter-culture, and a ''Guru of the New Left''. However, the deeper philosophical background to Marcuse''s thought is often forgotten, especially his significant engagement with German idealism, ancient philosophy, and a broad spectrum of problems and issues from the philosophical tradition.

This much-needed book introduces and assesses Marcuse''s philosophy and is ideal for those coming to his work for the first time. Jacob McNulty covers the following topics:

• Marcuse''s life and the background to his thought, including his formative period as a student of Husserl and Heidegger and as a philosopher in Horkheimer''s institute
• Marcuse''s recasting of metaphysics in light of Marxian and Freudian thought
• Marcuse and German idealism, especially the role of Kant and Hegel
• Marcuse''s philosophy of human nature, his use of the late Freud''s ideas of Eros and Thanatos