Abstract

Set in the philosophical perspectives of Marxism and existentialism,, with Hegel’s philosophy in the background, a contemporary picture of man is aimed at. The thesis begins with the social philosophy of karl Marx concept of man as “species-being is worked out. It is emphasized that man as a species-being has no essence . The them is basically derived form the dialectical thought of Hegel. Tracing the same them among the existential philosophies is the next stage in the development of the thesis. Taking Heidegger representing the most profound existential philosophy, the ontological structure of man is now developed. Man is now found to be being-in-the-world. A being cast in the world characterized by facticity fallen-ness and project. The ultimate project being death. Man is shown to be a Temporal being possessing the choice to live authentically or in-authentically. In this choice is rooted man’s freedom. Carrying further the theme of freedom, in man, Sartre defines man as “condemned to freedom.” In agreement with Heidegger’s basic philosophy that man is an existing being having no essence and a being who is the author of all value and meaning. Sartre tries to assimilate the thought of Karl Marx into his own existential categories. Hence, the next step in the development of the thesis is to delineate the characteristics and the mode of the existence of the being of man as a being-in-the-world, having no essence but possessing freedom as its ontological structure. In this regard it is pointed out that man being the origin of dialectic in the world, is the maker of history which is the result of the dialectics between man, and man and nature. Finally the further chapter concentrates on the socio-political (Marcuse) and psychological (Formm) aspects of the concept of man emerging form the marriage between the two philosophies. It is lastly concluded that though is a free being finds his existence in a perverted form but he possesses the ability to overcome this disability by overcoming the conditions of this disability through his praxis