The article concerns the problem of contemporary social and philosophical studies’ critical mapping in the framework of late capitalism cultural consumption. The author shows the uniqueness of actual social philosophy’s role. Its specific presupposes not only appeal to researchers but directly to the reading public, whose evaluation became an important factor supporting existing social order and constituting its trends. Reflexive nature of modernity, from the one hand, needs ongoing conceptual reframing, and, from the other hand, makes the society able – at least rhetorically – to change in the result of rational discussion on alternatives, possibilities, and problems. The article defines three historical stages in existence of social philosophy as philosophy for the society, specifically highlighting the complex nature of contemporary social thought. The latter, keeping in pace with its critical pathos, exists as a cultural consumable good of late capitalism; merges the negativity in relation to contemporaneity with the task of positive appeal to the society. In the conclusion the author dwells on some successful examples of this kind of merging in the works of modern theorists.
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