Marxists and modernists

Academic/philosophical tradition A
This tradition is based on the theory that there is no universal objective truth, rather that each
point of view - formed by different backgrounds, religious frameworks, and intellectual systems -
are equally valid, and nothing is right or wrong. There are many different strands of this tradition:
for example, in moral philosophy, proponents of this perspective hold that there is no ‘right’ or
‘wrong’ when it comes to ethics.

Academic/philosophical tradition B
This form of thinking dominates academia in English-speaking countries, such as the USA, UK,
and Australasia. It is characterised by clarity and precision of argument, and often the use of
mathematical and scientific evidence to support claims. Bertrand Russell, the British
mathematician and philosopher asserted that this approach “is able, in regard to certain
problems, to achieve definite answers, which have the quality of science rather than of
philosophy.” It is not an overriding system that can be applied to everything, rather, it is an
approach that can lead to different answers depending on the issue it addresses.

Academic/philosophical tradition C
This movement was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of history which
saw the quick growth of cities, massive industrialisation, and the horrors of World War I. Thinkers
who belonged to this school of thought believed in rejecting traditional aspects of society - such
as religion and social classes - and formulating new approaches to life, often using the aid of
science. Art was an important part of this movement, with completely new techniques developed,
such as abstract shapes and colours rather than realism.

Academic/philosophical tradition D
This is an approach that is centred around the idea that evolution is the key to understanding not
just the natural world, but also the human one as well. It argues that in the same way that our
anatomy and physiology has evolved over time, so has our psychology adapted to solve
persistent problems facing us within the environment. This form of thinking can be applied to
many different fields, such as economics, health, law, management, and politics.

Academic/philosophical tradition E
Thinkers within this school of thought place social class at the centre of their understanding of
the world, seeing many aspects of history as being a conflict between the classes, generally with
those at the top trying to protect their interests, and ensuring that those at the bottom remain
there. It tries to apply a scientific methodology to human sciences (particularly history) to prove
that society is evolving through many different stages towards its eventual logical outcome - a
society based on socialism. This idea was first formulated in the mid-to-late C19th by Karl Marx
and Friedrich Engels.

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