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Changing philosophies in a Changing World: A Comparative Study of Heraclitus and Marx on the Idea of Change

Adebayo A. Ogungbure

Discipline: Philosophy

 

Abstract:

Every philosophy is a product of an age and every age has its own philosophies which oftentimes spring forth from prevalent existential conditions. Heraclitus and Karl Marx are two philosophers that existed in different periods of philosophic history; but the ideas they expressed on the notion of change, have some kind of connection and distinction which is of interest to us in this paper. The importance of this discourse is that it shows the interconnectedness between these philosophers as an indication of the fact of historic development of ideas in philosophy or history of philosophy. It also shows that philosophy is not just a mere amassing of opinions, narration of isolated items of reflection that have no connection whatsoever. Thus, in this discourse, we shall attempt a comparative analysis of the philosophies of Heraclitus and Karl Marx showing their areas of convergence and divergence, with particular emphasis on their reflections on the notion of change. Following from this preoccupation, this paper concludes that the notion of change which underlies the philosophies of these two thinkers is very important to the history of philosophy because it ensures the development of ideas from one epoch to another.