Indeed, Marx's method is the materialist dialectic. He uses the
dialectical method and his approach to the study of history is a
materialist one, hence materialist dialectics. The materialist conception
of history, or historical materialism, is founded on this notion. But this
is not what we are talking about when we use the term "dialectical
materialism," and you guys know this. The term dialectical materialism
refers to the approach that analyzes nature dialectically. Marx never did
this, and, moreover, he believed the proper natural scientific method was
the one used by the natural scientists of his day, for example, Charles
Darwin, who did not use a dialectical method. Marx believed society and
history rested on different principles than nature (except where nature
enters history, in which case nature becomes a sociohistorical product
analyzable within a science of history, which is not at all the way
dialectical materialists treat humanized nature), and therefore a true
science of history required a unique objective method.
For the record.
Andy
On Thu, 5 Aug 1999, Chris Burford wrote:
>At 12:24 05/08/99 -0400,
>
>
>>Charles: The last time we discussed this I believe we found that Engels
>used the phrase "materialist dialectics" in the book _Ludwig Feuerbach_.
>
>
>Certainly "materialist dialectic"
>
>
>"And this materialist dialectic, which for years has been our best working
>tool and our sharpest weapon, was, remarkably enough, discovered not only
>by us but also, independently of us and even of Hegel, by a German worker,
>Joseph Dietzgen."
>
>End of 5th paragraph, Section IV
>
>
>Chris Burford
>
>London
>
>
>
> --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
>
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