Hegel & Marx - Do ideas shape the world, or does the world shape ideas?

What really drives history—our ideas, or the way we live and work?

In The German Ideology, Karl Marx takes issue with Hegel’s view that ideas and consciousness are the engine of change. Instead, Marx and Engels argued that:

“... it is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.”

In this session we’ll explore this clash of views in an open, accessible way, and think about what it means for how we see society today. No prior knowledge needed—just curiosity and an interest in big questions.

Where: Downstairs room, Square Pig, Holborn (private room)

Format: 10-minute intro talk → vote on questions → small-group discussion → share insights with the whole room

Keep in touch: Join our Philosophy Café Discord to continue the conversation anytime → https://discord.gg/Ssh2bjxR