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Adorno, T. W.

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One of the most important and influential thinkers in the twentieth century, Theodor W. Adorno was an influential philosopher, psychologist, sociologist, and musicologist in Germany before and after World War II. His influence is based largely on the interdisciplinary quality of his research and writing within the circle of the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory which was aseminal group of intellectuals with Marxist orientations that continues to exert influence on contemporary thought in much the same way that the famed Vienna Circle did in Central Europe after World War I.

Apart from his intellectual activity, which consisted principally of philosophical critiques and analyses of Western scholarly traditions, he is best known for his radical Marxist dissections of contemporary Western societies built upon liberal/conservative capitalist foundations.

Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno was born in Frankfurt to awealthy German wine merchant of assimilated Jewish background. His mother, Maria...

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Kelly, R.J. (2012). Adorno, T. W.. In: Rieber, R.W. (eds) Encyclopedia of the History of Psychological Theories. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0463-8_169

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0463-8_169

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