Abstract: In order to defend the scientific nature of Marxist theory and give proper play to the ideological function of Marxist theory, Althusser, based on research method of “general problem”, adheres to the principle that “science is antagonistic to ideology”. He believes that there is a “coupureépistémologique” in the development of Marx’s thought, that is, from the ideological period that believes in the bourgeois humanitarianism theory to the scientific period that believes in historical materialism theory. He thus argues that Marxism is the “theory of anti-humanitarianism and anti-historism” and “history without a subject”, which has a broad influence and stirs a debate among the Marxist research group. Around his “coupureépistémologique”, “the relationship between science and ideology”, “the relationship between Marxism and humanitarian”, and the criticism that his theory employs structuralism to explain the results of Marxism, Althusser admitted that he had made a theoretical mistake and began to criticize himself, and further defended and refined his proposition. The accurate understanding of the connotation of Althusser’s theoretical proposition and his revision of the theory is of great significance for us to gain insight into the essence and value of Althusser’s scientific Marxist theory.

Key words: Althusser, coupureépistémologique, humanitarianism and anti-humanitarianism, structuralism