The Realist Synthesis of Marxist Philosophy

When we speak of Marxist philosophy, some may think of concepts such as materialism, contradiction, productive forces, relations of production, practice, and a series of propositions and principles. Although these concepts, propositions, and principles are indispensable parts of understanding Marxist philosophy, truly understanding and mastering Marxist philosophy cannot stop at these concepts and propositions. Instead, it requires us to adopt an epistemological perspective, viewing Marxism as a synthetic truth. Moreover, Marxist philosophy should be incorporated into the realm of the real world, allowing theory and practice to be synthesized in the real world. This is the basic requirement of the realist synthesis of Marxist philosophy.

当我们谈到马克思主义哲学的时候，或许有人想到的是唯物主义、矛盾、生产力、生产关系、实践等概念，以及一系列命题和原理的体系。尽管这些概念、命题和原理是理解马克思主义哲学不可或缺的部分。但要真正理解和掌握马克思主义哲学，却不能仅停留在这些概念和命题上，而是需要我们有一种知识论的眼光，将马克思主义看成一个综合的真理。更应该将马克思主义哲学纳入现实世界的领域之中，让理论和实践在现实世界中综合起来，这就是马克思主义哲学的现实综合的基本要求。

The reason why Marxist philosophy is a theory of realist synthesis lies in the fact that, from its very inception, Marxism rejected the method of contemplating philosophy through pure theoretical meditation in the study. In the “Theses on Feuerbach,” Marx explicitly pointed out that German idealist philosophy, including Feuerbach’s metaphysics, essentially considered philosophical propositions from the perspective of human objective activity. They turned philosophy into a purely abstract human activity, completing the deduction of a future world and so-called “critique” through theoretical speculation. However, this abstract theoretical critique cannot truly touch upon the problems of the real world. Marx, from the outset, used the category of practice to bring philosophy into the real civil society, into the genuine life and creative practical activities of human beings. Only in this way can Marxist philosophy, through human real practical activities, through production and social intercourse, integrate the world into a real, synthetic world.

马克思主义哲学为什么是现实综合的理论，就在于马克思主义从诞生之初，就拒绝了在书斋中依赖纯粹的理论冥思来思考哲学的方式。在《关于费尔巴哈的提纲》中，马克思曾经明确指出德国唯心主义哲学，包括费尔巴哈的形而上学，基本上都从人的对象性活动来思考哲学的命题，他们将哲学变成了一种纯粹抽象的人的活动，在理论的思辨中完成对未来世界的推导，完成所谓的“批判”。但是这种抽象的理论批判不能真正触及现实世界的问题，而马克思开宗明义地用实践的范畴将哲学带向了真正市民社会，带向了真正人类的生命和创造实践活动。唯有如此，马克思主义哲学才能通过人的现实的实践活动，通过生产和社会交往，将世界结合成为一个现实的综合的世界。

However, the practice Marx speaks of is not an abstract philosophical concept, nor a metaphysical proposition, but a force of positive reality, a force that actively changes the world, a force that makes a thorough break with all previous old systems and backward relations of production. This force cannot be understood within a single philosophical category. In *The German Ideology*, Marx emphasized: “Without steam engines and jenny spinning machines, slavery could not have been abolished; without improved agriculture, serfdom could not have been abolished; when people cannot obtain sufficient food, drink, shelter, and clothing in quality and quantity, they cannot be liberated at all. ‘Liberation’ is a historical activity, not a mental activity; ‘liberation’ is brought about by historical relations, by the conditions of industry, commerce, agriculture, and intercourse.” This famous statement by Marx tells us that human practical activity is the core category of historical materialism and the most important force that truly promotes historical change. However, in this passage, we should not overlook the issue that merely understanding the problem of practice is insufficient. The understanding of human practical activity is not an abstract proposition but a topic closely related to the conditions of industry, commerce, and agriculture at the time. Does this mean that, if we want to deeply understand Marx’s philosophy of practice and the realist synthesis of Marxism, we must also understand the knowledge of jenny spinning machines, steam engines, industry, agriculture, commerce, and intercourse? If we read most of Marx’s works, we will find that Marx himself was very familiar with the scientific developments of the mid-19th century (for example, Marx was well-versed in Lagrange’s calculus, Newton’s physics, Liebig’s chemistry, and Darwin’s theory of evolution). At the same time, Marx was very familiar with the industrial technology of the 19th century (such as Marx’s reading of Ure’s *The Philosophy of Manufactures* and Babbage’s *On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures*), agricultural technology, commercial development, and even the credit system of banks. These were all materials he later used to write *Capital* and its manuscripts. It was precisely because Marx comprehensively understood the scientific system and technological developments in industry, agriculture, commerce, and other aspects of the Western world at that time that he could propose the basic principles of historical materialism, namely, the general laws of productive forces and relations of production, economic base and superstructure. In this sense, we can say that Marxist philosophy had an interdisciplinary perspective from the very beginning. Marx did not, like classical German philosophy, huddle in a metaphysical kingdom to complete the speculation and reasoning of abstract concepts. Instead, he actively learned the knowledge of various disciplines and industries in the real world. Only after fully absorbing and critiquing the knowledge in these fields did he provide a commanding realist synthesis of historical materialism, proposing at a higher level the mission of Marxist philosophy: how to use real means to destroy all systems of exploitation and oppression, liberating humanity from the abyss of unequal social relations.

但是，马克思谈到的实践，并不是一个抽象的哲学概念，更不是一个形而上学的命题，而是一种积极现实的力量、积极改变世界的力量、与以往一切旧的体制和落后的生产关系进行彻底决裂的力量，不能在单一的哲学范畴中来理解这种力量。马克思在《德意志意识形态》中强调：“没有蒸汽机和珍妮走锭精纺机就不能消灭奴隶制；没有改良的农业就不能消灭农奴制；当人们还不能使自己的吃喝住穿在质和量方面得到充分保证的时候，人们就根本不能获得解放。‘解放’是一种历史活动，不是思想活动，‘解放’是由历史的关系， 是由工业状况、商业状况、农业状况、交往状况促成的。”马克思的这句名言，是在告诉我们，人类的实践活动是历史唯物主义的核心范畴，是真正促进历史变化的最重要力量。但是，在这段话中，我们不应该忽视的问题是，仅仅理解实践问题是不够的，对人类的实践活动的理解，不是一个抽象的命题，而是与当时的工业状况、商业状况、农业状况密切相关的话题。那么，这是否意味着，如果我们要深入理解马克思的实践哲学，理解马克思主义的现实综合，也必须理解珍妮走锭精纺机、蒸汽机，理解工业、农业、商业、交往方面的知识？如果我们读过马克思的大多数著作就会发现，马克思本人对19世纪中叶的科学发展（如马克思对拉格朗日的微积分、牛顿的物理学、李比希的化学，以及达尔文的进化论都十分熟悉），同时马克思对19世纪的工业技术（如马克思阅读了尤尔的《工厂哲学》和拜比吉的《论机器和工厂节约》）、农业技术、商业发展，甚至对银行的信用制度都十分熟悉，这些都是他后来撰写《资本论》及其手稿的材料。正是马克思全面了解了当时西方世界的科学体系和工业、农业、商业等各方面的技术发展，才能在此基础上提出历史唯物主义的基本原理，即生产力与生产关系、经济基础与上层建筑的一般规律。在这个意义上，我们可以说，马克思主义哲学从一开始就具有跨学科的视角——马克思并没有像德国古典哲学那样，蜷缩在一个形而上学的王国中，完成抽象概念的思辨和推理，而是积极学习现实世界的各种学科和产业的知识，在充分吸收和批判这些领域的知识之后，才高屋建瓴地给出历史唯物主义的现实综合，在一个更高层次上提出马克思主义哲学的使命，即如何使用现实的手段，来摧毁一切剥削和压迫的制度，将人类从不平等的社会关系的深渊之中解放出来。

Thus, we can understand that the most fundamental way in which Marxist philosophy differs from previous metaphysics is that Marxist philosophy is not a discipline confined solely within the boundaries of philosophy, not a purely speculative movement among concepts, propositions, categories, and principles, and even less a discipline that uses critique of critique to attack those who hold different views. Thinkers like Marx and Engels, from the very beginning, thought about how to change the world, how to use the power of practice to realize a beautiful future society. This practice requires that Marxist philosophy must actively touch upon those mundane parts, understand how scientific knowledge of the world develops, understand how industry, agriculture, commerce, communication technology, and exchange technology in the real world function, and how our practical activities play a role in these aspects. For researchers of Marxist philosophy, it is necessary to understand the mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, economics, political science, law, communication studies, literature, and other sciences of our respective eras. In this sense, Marxist philosophy realizes a synthesis of reality on an interdisciplinary basis and carries out practical revolution on the basis of this synthesis.

于是，我们可以理解，马克思主义哲学之所以不同于以往的形而上学，一个最为根本的地方在于，马克思主义哲学不是一个仅仅囿于哲学学科内部的学问，不是单纯地在概念和命题、范畴和原理之间的思辨运动，更不是通过批判的批判来党同伐异的学问。马克思恩格斯等思想家从一开始就在思考如何改变这个世界，如何用实践的力量来实现一个美好的未来社会。这里的实践，要求马克思主义哲学必须主动触及那些形而下的部分，了解世界的科学知识是如何发展的，了解现实世界的工业、农业、商业、通信技术、交流技术是如何发挥作用，我们的实践活动如何在这些方面起作用。对于马克思主义哲学的研究者而言，就必须了解我们各自时代的数学、物理学、化学、生物学、社会学、经济学、政治学、法学、传播学、文学等科学。在这个意义上而言，马克思主义哲学就是在跨学科的基础上实现对现实的综合，并在这个综合的基础上进行实践性的革命。

When the pointer of history points to today, in the face of the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, studying Marxist philosophy necessarily implies entirely new connotations. If we understand Marxist philosophy as an achievement of interdisciplinary realist synthesis, we must truly delve into the scientific connotations of Marxism, integrate it with the concrete reality of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, and integrate it with the fine traditional Chinese culture. If we detach from these Two Integrations, we cannot study or think about today’s Marxist philosophy. Of course, realizing the integration with China’s concrete reality means that Marxist philosophy must face the entirely new propositions raised by the current era. In the construction of Chinese-path modernization, we have made great progress in big data, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, and other fields. At the same time, breakthroughs in practical technological fields such as unmanned automated production, dark factories, intelligent driving, and drones in industrial production all require today’s Marxist philosophy researchers to understand them. Once philosophy steps out of the study and faces the developmental achievements of Chinese-path modernization, we need to understand today’s big data, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic technology, and understand the changes these technologies bring to fields such as economics, political science, sociology, law, literature and art, and design. We can use general large models to design car interiors and seats, or use intelligent models to simulate pedestrian flow and traffic conditions, providing constructive solutions for urban traffic management and design.

当历史的指针指向了今天，在新时代中国特色社会主义的实践面前，研究马克思主义哲学，必然意味着全新的内涵。如果我们将马克思主义哲学理解为一种跨学科的现实综合的成就，就要真正深入理解马克思主义的科学内涵，同中国特色社会主义建设的具体实际相结合，同中华优秀传统文化相结合。如果脱离了这两个结合，我们就无法研究和思考今天的马克思主义哲学。当然，实现同中国的具体实际相结合，意味着马克思主义哲学必须面对当今时代提出的全新命题，在中国式现代化建设中，我们在大数据、人工智能、生物医药等方面取得了巨大推进。与此同时，在工业生产中出现的无人化自动生产、黑灯工厂、智能驾驶、无人机等实际技术领域的突破，都需要今天的马克思主义哲学研究者加以了解。一旦哲学走出书斋，面对中国式现代化的发展成就，我们就需要了解今天的大数据、人工智能、算法技术，了解这些技术在经济学、政治学、社会学、法学、文艺学、设计学等领域带来的变化。我们可以用通用大模型来设计汽车的内饰和座椅，也可以通过智能模型来模拟人流量和交通状况，给城市的交通管理和设计提供建设性的方案。

At the same time, developments in big data, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, and other fields can further influence the basic concepts and principles of various disciplines. This requires Marxist philosophy to continuously update its conceptual system and knowledge system in accordance with concrete changes in the real world. For example, when logistics systems install sensors on all roads and trucks, we can track the progress of logistics in real time. In workshops, robots used for sorting goods coordinate with one another; they do not actually need human administrators to plan their routes, as each robot formulates the most reliable operational strategy based on specific circumstances. This means that intelligent agents are no longer mere objects; they have also become part of the network of social relations. When conducting relevant theoretical reflection, we must incorporate these agents capable of autonomously formulating behavioral strategies into the category of the subject. This poses new demands for political science, sociology, and jurisprudence. By synthesizing today’s reality at a higher level, Marxist philosophy can provide useful references for these disciplines, thereby promoting their transformation into disciplines suited to the intelligent era and enabling them to better serve human social life.

与此同时，大数据、人工智能、生物医药等方面的发展，也可以进一步影响各个学科的基本概念和原理，这就需要马克思主义哲学根据现实世界的具体变化，不断更新自己的概念体系和知识体系。例如，当物流系统为所有的道路和卡车装上传感器之后，我们可以随时了解物流的进展。在车间里用于分拣货物的机器人，它们彼此协调，实际上不需要人类管理员来规划它们运行的线路，它们各自会根据具体情况来制定最稳妥的运行策略。这意味着，智能体不再是单纯的客体，它们也成为构成社会关系网络的一部分，在进行相关理论思考的时候，我们必须将这些能够自主制定行为策略的行为体纳入主体范畴之中。这对于政治学、社会学、法学都提出了新的要求。马克思主义哲学从更高层面对今天的现实进行综合，就可以给这些学科提供有益的参考，从而促进这些学科向智能时代的学科转变，让这些学科更好地服务于人类的社会生活。

In summary, the study of Marxist philosophy today requires breaking down existing disciplinary barriers. It demands that we actively understand changes in the realms of industry, agriculture, commerce, communication, and other fields, so as to achieve a synthesis of reality at a higher level. Marxist philosophy must adopt an interdisciplinary perspective, plan a more well-ordered form of social life, and design a more humane, more flexible, more orderly, and more ecological community with a shared future for mankind under contemporary intelligent technology.

总而言之，今天的马克思主义哲学研究，需要打破既有的学科藩篱，要求我们主动了解现实世界中的工业、农业、商业、传播等领域的变化，以便在更高层面上实现现实的综合。马克思主义哲学要具有一种跨学科的视角，规划更良序的社会生活方式，设计一个在当代智能技术下更人性、更灵活、更有序、更生态的人类命运共同体。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗