From the primacy of praxis to anomie. A philosophical interpretation of today’s crisis

Abstract

“Anomia”, the loss of the common reference points of one’s own identity, is the characteristic of the current crisis which is deeply rooted in certain forms of thought. The philosophical analysis of this article examines the examples provided by the conflicts between fascism and communism, idealism and materialism, and liberalism and socialism. In these conflicts, the author observes the affermation of the primacy of praxis which empties freedom and exludes the possibility of ethical judgment. This is even more evident in the area of the technological revolution. A reestablishment of an adequate relationship between knowledge and action is recommended.