ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author presents aspects of Marxist philosophy, social theory and psychology in order to construct a coherent view of how Marxist theory approaches the question of learning. He begins with a philosophical theory of knowledge which centred on the concepts of dialectical materialism, reflection and praxis. Hence praxis is the key to learning, which can be considered as a dialectical process of perception, abstract thought and practical application, a constant cycle of practice-theory-practice. The author considers consciousness and knowledge from a sociological perspective. The formation of the individual's cognitive powers was portrayed as an essentially social process in which labour has a central part. Thus the mode of production is significant because it shapes ways of being and thinking. The Marxist view of the individual's psychology is one which conceptualises its development within a social context.
