The Absolute and the Relative in Lukács and Simmel

This chapter builds on the author’s earlier Hegelian critique of Lukács’s philosophy of praxis by construing a conceptual dialogue between Lukács and his one-time mentor, Georg Simmel. It is argued that Lukács’s philosophy in the 1920s was partially formed as a metacritique of Simmel’s absolute relativism, as expressed in "The Philosophy of Money". However, Lukács’s alternative generates a conceptual mythology that can be diagnosed in Simmelian terms and sublated by the philosophy of life outlined in "The View of Life". By situating it in the present, this may de-reify Lukács’s concept of praxis, allowing it to satisfy its ethical and rational duty.