The downfall of certainty: the crisis of rationality and science in the writings of Henri Lefebvre, a first approach

Abstract

This article provides an initial exploration of the writings of the French Marxist philosopher Henri Lefebvre concerning the problem of rationality and science. It begins by establishing the historical context in which these reflections emerged as well as the philosophical and social dilemmas they sought to address, notably the crisis of rationality as part of the broader crisis of European civilization in the interwar period. Lefebvre's critique of traditional philosophy, developed in the 1920s, is presented as a philosophical response to the problems of modern rationality, later superseded by a distinctly Marxist formulation rooted in the framework of dialectical materialism being developed within French Marxism. Lastly, the article explores the broader implications of Lefebvre's approach for understanding the need to critique and revitalize modern rationality through his investigations into Logic and Methodology.