Nihilistic Times: Thinking with Max Weber

Wendy Brown analyzes nihilism's devaluation of knowledge and political responsibility and proposes ways to counter it through readings of Max Weber's Vocation Lectures. She argues that nihilism hyperpoliticizes knowledge and reduces the political sphere to narcissism and irresponsible power plays, rendering the profound trivial and the future unimportant. Brown calls for retrieving knowledge from hyperpoliticization without expunging values from research or teaching, and embedding responsibility in radical political action. She challenges the left to make good on its commitment to critical thinking by submitting all values to scrutiny in the classroom and twinning a radical democratic vision with charismatic leadership.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 11 April 2023
Publisher: Harvard University Press

One of America's foremost political theorists delves into the pervasive and perplexing phenomenon of nihilism, which has taken a toll on both political and academic life. Through a comprehensive analysis of Max Weber's Vocation Lectures, she offers insightful solutions to counteract nihilism's devaluation of knowledge and political responsibility.

How has politics devolved into a realm where mere demagoguery thrives? Why has the university become a battleground of ideological conflicts? What has happened to the concept of Truth? Wendy Brown identifies nihilism as the root cause of these predicaments. Emerging from the transition of European modernity, which replaced God and tradition with science and reason, nihilism undermines the very foundation upon which values, including the notion of truth itself, rest. It hyperpoliticizes knowledge, diminishing the political sphere to mere displays of narcissism and irresponsible power plays. It trivializes profound ideas, renders the future insignificant, and normalizes corruption.

In seeking remedies for this state of affairs, Brown turns to Weber's renowned Vocation Lectures, delivered at the close of World War I. There, Weber himself denounces the detrimental effects of nihilism on both scholarly and political life. He also outlines the necessary steps to re-establish truth within the academy and integrity in politics. Notably, Weber maintained a distinct separation between the two spheres, advocating for academic life to be confined to the pursuit of facts while reserving the political realm for the pursuit and legislation of values.

While acknowledging the inherent tensions between Weber's oppositions, Brown acknowledges the distinctions they seek to establish. She charts reparative strategies for our contemporary times, advocating for the retrieval of knowledge from hyperpoliticization without compromising the inclusion of values in research or teaching. She also reflects on ways to embed responsibility in radical political action. Above all, she challenges the left to uphold its commitment to critical thinking by engaging in rigorous intellectual discourse.

Nihilism poses a significant threat to our society, but by understanding its origins and the consequences of its devaluation, we can work towards rebuilding the foundations of knowledge, political responsibility, and truth. Through a thoughtful exploration of Weber's Vocation Lectures and a commitment to critical thinking, we can strive for a more informed and ethical political landscape.

Dimension: 178 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674279384