Adorno and the Kantian Sources of Ideology Critique

Social theorists in the Marxian tradition often interpret philosophical problems as reflections of social problems. This approach is central to Adorno's interpretation of Kant's epistemology. Adorno claims that the Critique of Pure Reason develops a concept of subjectivity that mirrors the “functionalization” of experience in capitalist societies. He retains that concept contradictory just as the social functionalism it ideologically reflects. In this paper I argue that Kant's concept of subjectivity is not contradictory and that Adorno must rely on it to articulate his critique of functionalism. Recognizing this Kantian debt implies not just acknowledging the Kantian sources of Adorno's model of ideology critique, but also revising central aspects of his social theory.