In this paper, Chris Shambaugh presents a coherent view of Marx as the author of an integrated philosophical biology. He argues that between 1842 and 1844, Marx developed a structured and original account of organic, animal, and human life—an account that ultimately grounds the normative force of his early critique of capitalism. For Marx, life-activity is fundamentally dialectical: it involves both the organism’s self-organizing, goal-directed functioning and its active engagement with its environment in the ongoing work of self-maintenance. This biological framework underlies his criticism of Hegel’s political organicism, which, in Marx’s view, fails to remain faithful to the genuinely self-organizing powers of life. Shambaugh’s reconstruction thus reveals a powerful conceptual bridge between biological agency, embodiment, and social critique.
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