Ralph Dumain: "The Autodidact Project": Study Project: On Theodor W. Adorno's "Negative Dialectics": Outline, Quotes, Notes

On Theodor W. Adorno’s Negative Dialectics:
Outline, Quotes, Notes

English translations:

Adorno, Theodor W. Negative Dialectics, translated by E.B. Ashton. New York: The Seabury Press, 1973.

________________. Negative Dialectics, translated by Dennis Redmond. 2001. [Offsite] Note: all the links to sections of the work, below, are to this 2001 translation. For an updated, corrected version, see:

Negative Dialectics (2021), translated by Dennis Redmond. Also available at academia,edu. See also:

Negative Dialectics (2001), in multiple formats by section with supplementary clarifications.

Offsite:: Negative Dialectics, translation 2001 by Dennis Redmond	Excerpts on this site (from either translation)	Dumain’s notes (page references from Ashton)

Prologue Preface Introduction On the Possibility of Philosophy Dialectics Not a Standpoint Interest of Philosophy The Antagonistic Whole Disenchantment of the Concept "Infinity" Speculative Moment Representation [Darstellung] Relation to System Idealism as Rage Double Character of the System System Antinomica Argument and Experience The Vertiginous Fragility of the Truth Against Relativism Dialectics and The Solidified		Adorno on the Commodification of Theory
Privilege of Experience	The Privilege of Experience
Qualitative Moment of Rationality Quality and The Individuated [Individuum] Substantiality [Inhaltlichkeit] and Method Existentialism Thing, Language, History Tradition and Cognition Rhetoric
Part I I.The Ontological Need Question and Answer Affirmative Character		AFFIRMATIVE CHARACTER: 66: Heidegger's reading of Kant 67: subjectivity vs. the scientific universe
Disempowerment of the Subject	T.W. Adorno on Zen Buddhism
Being, Subject, Object Ontological Objectivism Disappointed Need "Lack as Gain" No-man's Land Unsuccessful Materiality-at-hand [Sachlichkeit] On Categorical Intuition Being Thesei [Greek: thesis] "Meaning of Being" Ontology Suborned Protest Against Reification False Need Weakness and Support II. Being and Existence Immanent Critique of Ontology Copula No Transcendence of Being Expression of the Inexpressible The Child's Question Question of Being Volte [French: sudden about-face] Mythology of Being Ontologization of the Ontical Function of the Concept of the Existent "Existence ontological in itself" Nominalistic Aspect Existence Authoritarian "Historicity" Part II : Negative Dialectics: Concept and Categories Indissolubility of the Something Necessity of the Substantive Peephole Metaphysics Non-contradictoriness not Hypostasizable Relationship to Left Hegelianism "Logic of Dissassembly" [Zerfalls] On the Dialectics of Identity Self-reflection of Thought Objectivity of the Contradiction Outset from the Concept Synthesis Critique of Positive Negation What is Individual Too is No Ultimate Constellation Constellation in Science Essence and Appearance Mediation Through Objectivity Particularity and the Particular On the Subject-Object Dialectic Redirection of the Subjective Reduction On the Interpretation of the Transcendental "Transcendental Appearance" [Schein] Preponderance [Vorrang] of the Object Object Not a Given Objectivity and Reification Transition to Materialism Materialism and Immediacy		Ashton: BEING, SUBJECT, OBJECT: 69-70: Husserl in division of labor. science. vs. Heidegger 70: Heidegger's Being an empty concept THE DISAPPOINTED NEED: 73: ontology discreetly avoids science 74: Nazi irrationalism & technologism 75f: ANDERS on pseudo-concrete. GET ARTICLE. UNSUCCESSFUL REALISM: 79: Heidegger's rejection of subjectivity a regression 79: Being vacuous ON CATEGORIAL VISION: I don't get it. BEING: Heidegger's BS . .. 85: Heidegger's irrationalism, based on concepts SENSE OF BEING ONTOLOGY PRESCRIBED: 89: nostalgia for Being & Nazism PROTEST AGAINST REFIFICATION 90: hierarchy, Hitler, order. WRONG NEED: ontology, substitute gratification. WEAKNESS AND SUPPORT: form & avant-garde art. COPULA: 104: expression, experience, etc. THE QUESTION OF BEING: 113:being & guilt 114: being & ontology LOOPING THE LOOP: 116: ontological difference 118: Being & myth, pre-Socratics, Heidegger anti-intellectual ONTOLOGIZATION OF THE ONTICAL: 119-120: Hegel & the nonidentical 121: Engels
Dialectics No Sociology of Knowledge	"Dialectics Not a Sociology of Knowledge" by Theodor W. Adorno
On the Concept of the Mind [Geist] Pure Activity and Genesis Suffering Physical Materialism Imageless	Ashton, 203: somatic element's survival	Key passage, insight into negative dialectic: This passage alone reveals Adorno's investment in and rebellion against German idealism, his conception of philosophy, the role of the intellectual in the division of labor, his opposition to reconciliation and affirmative philosophy, his dissension from self-preservation, the prioritizing of nonidentity, and no poetry after Auschwitz .
Part III (i). Models. Freedom: Metacritique of Practical Reason "False Problem" [Scheinproblem] Interest in Freedom Split Freedom, Determinism, Identity Freedom and Organized Society The Pre-egoized Impulse Experimenta Crucis [Latin: decisive experiment] The Supplementary [Hinzutretende] Fiction of Positive Freedom Unfreedom of Thought "Formalism" The Will as Thing Objectivity of the Antinomy Dialectical Determination of the Will Contemplation Structure of the Third Antinomy On the Kantian Concept of Causality Plea for Order Demonstrating the Antithesis Ontic and Ideal Moments Doctrine of Freedom Repressive Self-experience of Freedom and Unfreedom On the Crisis of Causality Causality as Bane Reason, Ego, Superego Potential of Freedom Against Personalism Depersonalization and Existential Ontology The Universal and Individual in Moral Philosophy On the Condition of Freedom Intelligible Character in Kant The Intelligible and the Unity of Consciousness Truth-content of the Doctrine of the Intelligible
Part III (ii). Models. World-spirit and Natural History. Excursus on Hegel Tendency and Facts On the Construction of the World-spirit "Being with the World-spirit" On the Unleashing of the Productive Forces Group Spirit [Gruppengeist] and Domination The Juridical Sphere Law and Fairness Individualistic Veil Dynamic of General and Particular Mind as Social Totality Antagonistic Reason of History Universal History Antagonism contingent? Otherworldliness of the Hegelian World-spirit Hegel's Partisanship for the Universal Relapse into Platonism Detemporalization of Time Interruption of the Dialectic in Hegel Role of the Popular Spirit [Volksgeist] Popular Spirit Obsolete Individuality and History Bane Regression Under the Bane Subject and The Individuated [Individuum] Dialectics and Psychology "Natural History" History and Metaphysics	Ashton, 320: Universal history: slingshot to atom bomb (paired with Redmond)
Part III (iii) Models. Meditations on Metaphysics After Auschwitz Metaphysics and Culture Dying Today	Refusing “Positive Thinking” After Auschwitz
Happiness and Waiting in Vain "Nihilism" Kant's Resignation Desire of Salvation and Block Mundus Intelligibilis Neutralization Only an Allegory Appearance of the Other Self-reflection of Dialectics		KANT'S RESIGNATION: 383: Kant's topological zeal: Nietzsche's Protestant rage against reason RESCUING URGE AND BLOCK: 385: Carnap 387-9: Kant & science NEUTRALIZATION: 394-5: religion? 397: metaphysical experience, religion ONLY A PARABLE: 399: science fiction vs theology 400-402: ideological untruth . . . non-sensory egoity . . . untruth threatens here and there 400: Cartesian dualism 401: spiritualism 402: ban on images

Some related quotations on this site:

Adorno on Hegel: rationalism & irrationalism, logic & experience (from An Introduction to Dialectics (1958), Lecture 5, with comments by R. Dumain)
Theodor W. Adorno on models & ‘true thoughts’ (from An Introduction to Dialectics (1958), Lecture 16)
Adorno on Teutonic “depth” from Lectures on Negative Dialectics
Adorno on Wittgenstein & the Dialectical Essence of Philosophy from Lectures on Negative Dialectics (1965)
Theodor W. Adorno on academic conformity from History and Freedom: Lectures 1964-1965
Adorno on ‘Negative’ Universal History from History and Freedom: Lectures 1964-1965
Adorno on the joys of interpretation from History and Freedom: Lectures 1964-1965
Adorno on Truth, Survival, Consolation & Freedom of Thought from Metaphysics: Concept and Problems [lecture series, 1965]

Related commentaries on this site:

Adorno by Maire Jaanus Kurrik
Criticism of “Contemporary Society” and “Negative Dialectics” (Excerpts on Adorno) by E. Batalov
Adorno's Negative Dialectic by Howard Williams
Adorno and the Frankfurt School by Jack Lindsay
Review: Brian O’Connor, Adorno’s Negative Dialectic (1) by R. Dumain
Adorno on Hegel: rationalism & irrationalism, logic & experience (from An Introduction to Dialectics, Lecture 5, with comments by R. Dumain)
Review: Adorno, dialectics, & science (An Introduction to Dialectics: Lecture 13) by R. Dumain

Reason & Society blog: several relevant entries on Adorno

More quotes:

“I would guess that at the next stage of regressive ideology people would be expected to believe in 'the positive', in the same spirit as marriage advertisements regard 'a positive attitude to life' as especially commendable.” — Theodor W. Adorno, Lectures on Negative Dialectics, Lecture 2—The Negation of Negation, 11 November 1965

SOURCE: Adorno, Theodor W. Lectures on Negative Dialectics, ed. by Rolf Tiedemann, trans. Rodney Livingstone. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press, 2008.

Theodor W. Adorno & Critical Theory Study Guide

The Frankfurt School: Philosophy in Relation to Social Theory, Cultural Theory, Science, and Interdisciplinary Research.
Phase 1: Horkheimer, Adorno, and Marcuse in the 1930s.
Study Group Syllabus

CONTACT Ralph Dumain

Uploaded 8 June 2015
Last update 7 August 2023
Previous update 30 July 2023

On Theodor W. Adorno’s Negative Dialectics: Outline, Quotes, Notes

English translations:

On Theodor W. Adorno’s Negative Dialectics:
Outline, Quotes, Notes