THE search for a material basis of existence actually began in the crisis-ridden period of mid-19th century Europe. By that time Europe had accomplished in 1789, a successful revolution in France which proclaimed, for the first time in history, the 'Rights of Man'. This was a breakthrough of immense significance as it brought to the fore the concept that man could make his own destiny without the aid of God. And that the values of justice, freedom, goodness need a grounding in 'human individual behaviour' of 'this world' rather than the communitarian strictures of the other heavenly world.

From here on was opened the way for Marx and Engels to ground philosophy in the practices of material reality. And to take it, ultimately, beyond a focus on the mundane actions of 'man' to concrete, impersonal laws of the universe as such.