Karl Marx’s conception of the role of philosophy in social life in his early writings
Pham Ngoc Anh, Le Thi Hong Phuong (2026), Karl Marx’s conception of the role of philosophy in social life in his early writings, Scientific journal "Humanitarian Treatise", №153, pp. 11-14, ISSN 2500-1159.
Pham Ngoc Anh Master’s degree, Lecturer Political Theory Group, Department of Soft Skills FPT University, Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail: anhpn25@fe.edu.vn
Le Thi Hong Phuong PhD in Philosophy, Lecturer, Political Theory Group, Department of Soft Skills FPT University, Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail: phuonglth10@fe.edu.vn
Abstract. This article analyzes Karl Marx’s conception of the social role of philosophy as articulated in his early writings (1842–1845). On the basis of textual analysis combined with historical–philosophical interpretation, the study elucidates Marx’s understanding of philosophy not merely as a form of purely contemplative thought, but as a social force intrinsically bound to praxis. The article argues that, in his early works, Marx conceives philosophy as the spiritual expression of a historical epoch, a form of critical consciousness that can realize its efficacy only when it intervenes in concrete social life. At the same time, the study demonstrates how Marx gradually transforms philosophy from an abstract critique of alienation into a practical instrument of social emancipation, closely linked to the historical mission of the proletariat. In this way, the article contributes to affirming the internal coherence of Marx’s early thought regarding the social function of philosophy, while also reopening the question of continuity between his youthful philosophy and the mature conception of praxis developed in his later works.
Keywords: Early Marx; Social role of philosophy; Praxis; Alienation; Historical materialism
