Jacob P Blumenfeld
Principal Investigator, Socialization in Theory and Practice, Centre for Social Critique, Humboldt University Berlin, 2025-Present
Research Fellow, Centre for Social Critique, Humboldt University Berlin, 2023-Present
Assistant Professor, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 2021-2024
Post-doc in Praktische Philosophie, Freie Universität Berlin, 2019-2020
Ph.D. New School for Social Research, 2018
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I'm currently principal investigator for a research team on the theory and practice of socialization with regards to land, energy and democracy, based at the Centre for Social Critique at HU Berlin.
I was previously a Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter at the Institut für Philosophie, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg in the DFG interdisciplinary research project SFB-294: Strukturwandel des Eigentums.
Recent book: The Concept of Property in Kant, Fichte, and Hegel: Freedom, Right and Recognition (Routledge, 2024)
My book reconstructs the development of the theory of property in German Rechtsphilosophie from its transcendental form in Kant's Rechtslehre through Fichte's recognition-theoretical approach in the Grundlage to Hegel's conflict-based account in the Jenaer Realphilosophie.
In 2018, I published a book on the young Hegelian, Max Stirner, called "All Things are Nothing to Me".
I'm also a translator, and a regular contributor to the "Field Notes" column of the Brooklyn Rail.
websites:
https://criticaltheoryinberlin.de/en/people/jacob-blumenfeld/
https://sfb294-eigentum.de/en/members/jacob-blumenfeld/
https://uol.de/philosophie/mitarbeiterinnen/dr-jacob-blumenfeld
Contact: jacob.blumenfeld AT hu-berlin DOT de
Supervisors: Richard Bernstein, Rahel Jaeggi, Simon Critchley, and Jay Bernstein
Research Fellow, Centre for Social Critique, Humboldt University Berlin, 2023-Present
Assistant Professor, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 2021-2024
Post-doc in Praktische Philosophie, Freie Universität Berlin, 2019-2020
Ph.D. New School for Social Research, 2018
--
I'm currently principal investigator for a research team on the theory and practice of socialization with regards to land, energy and democracy, based at the Centre for Social Critique at HU Berlin.
I was previously a Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter at the Institut für Philosophie, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg in the DFG interdisciplinary research project SFB-294: Strukturwandel des Eigentums.
Recent book: The Concept of Property in Kant, Fichte, and Hegel: Freedom, Right and Recognition (Routledge, 2024)
My book reconstructs the development of the theory of property in German Rechtsphilosophie from its transcendental form in Kant's Rechtslehre through Fichte's recognition-theoretical approach in the Grundlage to Hegel's conflict-based account in the Jenaer Realphilosophie.
In 2018, I published a book on the young Hegelian, Max Stirner, called "All Things are Nothing to Me".
I'm also a translator, and a regular contributor to the "Field Notes" column of the Brooklyn Rail.
websites:
https://criticaltheoryinberlin.de/en/people/jacob-blumenfeld/
https://sfb294-eigentum.de/en/members/jacob-blumenfeld/
https://uol.de/philosophie/mitarbeiterinnen/dr-jacob-blumenfeld
Contact: jacob.blumenfeld AT hu-berlin DOT de
Supervisors: Richard Bernstein, Rahel Jaeggi, Simon Critchley, and Jay Bernstein
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Books by Jacob P Blumenfeld
The book begins with a critical genealogy of the concept of property in modern legal philosophy, followed by a reconstruction of the theory of property in Kant’s Doctrine of Right, Fichte’s Foundations of Natural Right, and Hegel’s Jena Realphilosophie. By turning to the tradition of German Rechtsphilosophie, as opposed to the more standard libertarian and utilitarian frameworks of property, it explores the metaphysical, normative, political, and material questions that make property intelligible as a social relation. The book formulates a normative theory of property rooted in practical reason, mutual recognition, and social freedom. This relational theory of property, inspired by German Idealism, brings a fresh angle to contemporary property theory. Additionally, it provides crucial philosophical background to 19th century debates on private property, inequality, labor, socialism, capitalism, and the state.
Übersetzer:: Jacob Blumenfeld
Erscheint am 30. November 2023.
https://brill.com/display/title/59947
In the early 19th century, a new social collective emerged out of impoverished artisans, urban rabble, wandering rural lower classes, bankrupt aristocrats and precarious intellectuals, one that would soon be called the proletariat. But this did not yet exist as a unified, homogeneous class with affiliated political parties. The motley appearance, the dreams and longings of these figures, torn from all economic certainties, found new forms of narration in romantic novellas, reportages, social-statistical studies, and monthly bulletins. But soon enough, these disorderly, violent, nostalgic, errant, and utopian figures were denigrated as reactionary and anarchic by the heads of the labour movement, since they did not fit into their grand linear vision of progress. This book tells their story, and in so doing, reveals a striking similarity to the disorderly classes of today.
Misunderstood, dismissed, and defamed, Stirner’s work is considered by some to be the worst book ever written. It combines the worst elements of philosophy, politics, history, psychology, and morality, and ties it all together with simple tautologies, fancy rhetoric, and militant declarations. That is the glory of Max Stirner’s unique footprint in the history of philosophy.
Jacob Blumenfeld wanted to exhume this dead tome along with its dead philosopher, but discovered instead that, rather than deceased, their spirits are alive and quite well, floating in our presence. All Things are Nothing to Me is a forensic investigation into how Stirner has stayed alive throughout time.
The contributors argue that with the failure of both free markets and state socialism the time has come for an 'anarchist turn' in political philosophy. In doing so they relate the anarchist hypothesis to a range of other disciplines such as politics, anthropology, economics, history and sociology.
Articles by Jacob P Blumenfeld
This is a pretty uncontroversial reading of Lévinas' work, especially Totality and Infinity (TI). And yet, there is one small problem. If this is what Lévinas is doing, then why does the largest section of Totality and Infinity – section II, “Interiority and Economy” – have nothing to do with ethics, the other, or the face at all? Why is it devoted to an arduous analysis of what he calls separation, egoism, economy, enjoyment, labour, and possession? In other words, why does Lévinas spend so much energy on writing about the egoist at the heart of his magnum opus, which is supposedly a text devoted to the Other? And furthermore, why is this section one of the least discussed in the secondary literature on Lévinas?
These questions motivate the present inquiry, which modestly seeks to understand what Lévinas is up to in this section. Once laying out the basic story, I will focus on the concepts of labour and possession, for I think these are the unrecognized pivots upon which the transition from ego to Other turns. I will also make some slight attempts to interpret Lévinas' direct or indirect comments on Plato, Kant, Hegel, Husserl and Heidegger. For although he distances himself from these giants, he stands on their shoulders as well.
Syllabi by Jacob P Blumenfeld
The book begins with a critical genealogy of the concept of property in modern legal philosophy, followed by a reconstruction of the theory of property in Kant’s Doctrine of Right, Fichte’s Foundations of Natural Right, and Hegel’s Jena Realphilosophie. By turning to the tradition of German Rechtsphilosophie, as opposed to the more standard libertarian and utilitarian frameworks of property, it explores the metaphysical, normative, political, and material questions that make property intelligible as a social relation. The book formulates a normative theory of property rooted in practical reason, mutual recognition, and social freedom. This relational theory of property, inspired by German Idealism, brings a fresh angle to contemporary property theory. Additionally, it provides crucial philosophical background to 19th century debates on private property, inequality, labor, socialism, capitalism, and the state.
Übersetzer:: Jacob Blumenfeld
Erscheint am 30. November 2023.
https://brill.com/display/title/59947
In the early 19th century, a new social collective emerged out of impoverished artisans, urban rabble, wandering rural lower classes, bankrupt aristocrats and precarious intellectuals, one that would soon be called the proletariat. But this did not yet exist as a unified, homogeneous class with affiliated political parties. The motley appearance, the dreams and longings of these figures, torn from all economic certainties, found new forms of narration in romantic novellas, reportages, social-statistical studies, and monthly bulletins. But soon enough, these disorderly, violent, nostalgic, errant, and utopian figures were denigrated as reactionary and anarchic by the heads of the labour movement, since they did not fit into their grand linear vision of progress. This book tells their story, and in so doing, reveals a striking similarity to the disorderly classes of today.
Misunderstood, dismissed, and defamed, Stirner’s work is considered by some to be the worst book ever written. It combines the worst elements of philosophy, politics, history, psychology, and morality, and ties it all together with simple tautologies, fancy rhetoric, and militant declarations. That is the glory of Max Stirner’s unique footprint in the history of philosophy.
Jacob Blumenfeld wanted to exhume this dead tome along with its dead philosopher, but discovered instead that, rather than deceased, their spirits are alive and quite well, floating in our presence. All Things are Nothing to Me is a forensic investigation into how Stirner has stayed alive throughout time.
The contributors argue that with the failure of both free markets and state socialism the time has come for an 'anarchist turn' in political philosophy. In doing so they relate the anarchist hypothesis to a range of other disciplines such as politics, anthropology, economics, history and sociology.
This is a pretty uncontroversial reading of Lévinas' work, especially Totality and Infinity (TI). And yet, there is one small problem. If this is what Lévinas is doing, then why does the largest section of Totality and Infinity – section II, “Interiority and Economy” – have nothing to do with ethics, the other, or the face at all? Why is it devoted to an arduous analysis of what he calls separation, egoism, economy, enjoyment, labour, and possession? In other words, why does Lévinas spend so much energy on writing about the egoist at the heart of his magnum opus, which is supposedly a text devoted to the Other? And furthermore, why is this section one of the least discussed in the secondary literature on Lévinas?
These questions motivate the present inquiry, which modestly seeks to understand what Lévinas is up to in this section. Once laying out the basic story, I will focus on the concepts of labour and possession, for I think these are the unrecognized pivots upon which the transition from ego to Other turns. I will also make some slight attempts to interpret Lévinas' direct or indirect comments on Plato, Kant, Hegel, Husserl and Heidegger. For although he distances himself from these giants, he stands on their shoulders as well.
November 29-30, 2024, Grimm Zentrum, Humboldt University Berlin
(send one-page anonymized abstracts by August 1st, to [email protected])
Keynote: Brett Christophers
There seems to be no easy way of reconciling capitalism and the Earth system. While some see capitalism as the root cause of today's environmental crisis, economists still maintain that it is precisely the pursuit of private profit that will ultimately bring about the common ecological good: with the right incentive structures, capitalism could overcome the historical link between growth and the overuse of resources and sinks. With properly designed markets, pricing, subsidies, and taxes, capitalism could deliver a greened economy more efficiently and cheaply than any alternative economic systems. Against this, critics argue that capitalism systematically undermines its own ecological conditions of production, and that any serious, long-term engagement with ecological problems would require more social control of basic infrastructures and more direct, use-value-based planning of production.
forthcoming 2018, SAGE
It all unfolds like a story, with jealous princesses, fancy swords, displaced peasants, mean bosses, and tired workers–not to mention a Ouija board, a talking chair, and a big pot called “the state.” Before they know it, readers are learning about the economic history of feudalism, class struggles in capitalism, different ideas of communism, and more. Finally, competition between two factories leads to a crisis that the workers attempt to solve in six different ways (most of them borrowed from historic models of communist or socialist change). Each attempt fails, since true communism is not so easy after all. But it’s also not that hard. At last, the people take everything into their own hands and decide for themselves how to continue. Happy ending? Only the future will tell. With an epilogue that goes deeper into the theoretical issues behind the story, this book is perfect for all ages and all who desire a better world.
About the Author
Bini Adamczak, a Berlin-based social theorist and artist, writes on political theory, queer politics, and the past future of revolutions.
Endorsements
“Communism for Kids, by Bini Adamczak, is in fact for everyone, an inspired and necessary book especially now, a moment when people feel that we are on the verge of the destruction of the world, and without any new world to hope for, or believe in. Have two hundred years of capitalism brought us freedom? Or just more inequality than has ever been experienced by humans on earth? Global capitalism is not human destiny, it merely is. To think beyond it, with the help of Adamczak’s primer, is to take a first step toward freedom, at least the freedom to imagine other worlds.”
—Rachel Kushner, author of The Flamethrowers
“This delightful little book may be helpful in showing youngsters there are other forms of life and living than the one we currently ‘enjoy’; and even some adults might learn from it as well. At a time when our younger generations are not only dissatisfied but active enough to have some new thoughts of their own and to look around seriously for alternatives, political pedagogy has a real function and might well, as here, be reinvented in new ways.”
—Fredric R. Jameson, Knut Schmidt-Nielsen Professor of Comparative Literature, Professor of Romance Studies (French); Director of Institute for Critical Theory, Duke University