The Figure of the Animal in the Political Philosophy of Max Stirner

Abstract

The article off ers a new reading of the philosophy of Max Stirner, one of the leading theorists of 19th century anarchism. While most of the traditional interpretations of this thinker’s work focus on traditional for political philosophy issues – analysis of the state, social inequality, opportunities for resistance, the relationship between society and the individual – this article off ers a new perspective, weaving together post-humanistic intuitions of present day philosophy and analysis of the animal fi gure in the works of Stirner himself. As the article demonstrates, attention to the fi gure of the animal opens up new dimensions in Stirner’s work and makes his philosophy relevant to the current debate within contemporary philosophy. In particular, the analysis of the fi gure of the animal helps to clarify Stirner’s relationship to the philosophy of Hegel and Feuerbach and enables novel understanding of his theory of subjectivity and the concept of rebellion (Empörung).