Leftist heideggerianism or phenomenological marxism?Reconsidering Herbert Marcuse's critical theory of technology

Unlike recent interpretations of Marcuse's theory of technology, be it in praise or criticism, which identify in it a strong and continuing influence of Heidegger, I intend to show in this article, that Marcuse borrows important elements of Heidegger's phenomenology, and even more so, Husserl's, but also that these elements are appropriate within a general Marxist theoretical approach. Thus, the social and historical factors are emphasized as ultimates determinants of technology and technological rationality. Therefore, this paper seeks to clarify the relationship between Marxism and phenomenology in Marcuse's later work.

Marcuse; Heidegger; critical theory; technology; Marxism