EXAMINING THE CONCEPT OF SELF-ALIENATION IN THE THEORIES OF HEGEL AND MARX WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE CATEGORY OF WORK

Abstract Self-alienation in Hegel’s philosophy is a process of self-creation and discovery. For Marx, it is a result of the capitalist mode of production. While Hegel tries to explain human existence by considering its ontological dimension, Marx looks at the concept of alienation from a different perspective, with its economic dimension, which he believes Hegel cannot see. How these philosophers attempt to make sense of the process, conditions, and consequences of alienation is important for the subject of research. Therefore, the main thesis is that Marx, despite all his criticisms, is closer to Hegel than expected. At the same time, my other argument is that Marx's critiques complement Hegel rather than supersede him. Therefore, an attempt has been made to understand Hegel’s concept of alienation through Marx’s critique. Self-alienation is one of the key concepts in the philosophy of Hegel and Marx, which has been particularly considered in the field of work and human activity. Hegel views alienation from an idealistic perspective, seeing it as a necessary stage in the process of self-awareness and the development of the spirit. Marx, however, takes a materialistic approach, analyzing self-alienation as a result of the capitalist system and the exploitation of workers. This research examines the strategies for dealing with alienation at work from the perspectives of Hegel and Marx and analyzes the differences and similarities between the views of these two philosophers. The research is conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and library documents.