Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Jim, Thanks for that; however, while I recognise that others have said somewhat similar things, I do not think you have shown that the ones you list argue the way I do. Hook does not pose this dilemma, as far as I am aware. If you give me the page reference, I will check. If it is the same,

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

On Wed, 1 Mar 2006 13:27:34 - "Rosa Lichtenstein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Charles, thanks for those comments. > > I absolutely agree, much anti-dialectic stuff is hackneyed to high > heaven. > > As to my claim that my ideas are largely original to me, you will > have to > check for

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

> As for critiques of Engels and diamat, there's > little original left to > say. Two sources that immediately come to mind are: > > James Scanlan, Marxism in the USSR (1985) > > Richard Norman (good) and Sean Sayers (bad), HEGEL, > MARX, AND DIALECTIC. Both excellent. See also: Gustav Wetter

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Apologies, one or two problems crept into the last e-mail after I ran a spell check. Here is the correct version: Charles, This passage was a response to several comrades who held the views I criticise, and it seemed to me it dealt with more general ideas that others held. So it was a target

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Charles, This passage was a response to several comrades who held the views I criticise, and it seemed to me it dealt with more general ideas that others held. So it was a targeted passage. You will note, however, the hypothetical form and subjunctive mood of the arguments. I do not theref

Re: [marxistphilosophy] Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Well, shiver me timbers! Didn't realize this was already online. It's a curious essay, given Van H's later evolution. It is characteristic of his dogmatism while he was in the Trotskyist movement. In 1942 he let CLR James have it, in an essay which I think is also online. Van is also not t

Re: [marxistphilosophy] Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

On Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:01:24 -0500 Ralph Dumain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > This is all quite so. Marx's knowledge of developments in the > calculus was > also behind the times, but Van Heijenoort absolves Marx of > narrow-minded > dogmatism. > > I still need to acquire a copy of that obs

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

This is all quite so. Marx's knowledge of developments in the calculus was also behind the times, but Van Heijenoort absolves Marx of narrow-minded dogmatism. I still need to acquire a copy of that obscure bulletin containing Van H's arguments against Novack. For some reason, I can't find a

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Well, it uses the present participle of the verb to be, reifies it and makes a big deal out of a syntactical blunder. It is nit thgyat vthere is no such thing as Being, it is that the question cannot even be asked. A bit like saying: "The great basic question of all philosophy, especially of

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

On Wed, 01 Mar 2006 13:53:28 -0500 Ralph Dumain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Van Heijenoort argues that Engels was backwards with respect to the > mathematics of his time, and also narrow-minded and provincial with > respect > to the history of science (anti-English prejudice) coupled with an

[Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

rosa lichtenstein Charles, "What do you find naïve in Engel's views?" Everything he wrote about science, mathematics and philosophy, although the word "naive" was a little too mild. I should have said "rubbish". His other stuff I admire greatly. RL ^ CB: Ok everything. How about this ?

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Given time constraints, I can only look in designated places for specific pieces of information, esp. as I am not a comrade. The introduction to the argument however is revealing of several aspects of your orientation: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rosa.l/page%2001.htm (1) exposure to Trotsky

[Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Rosa Lichtenstein ^ "Comrades might like to think about this (taken from my site): The quandary facing dialecticians we might call the "Dialecticians' Dilemma" [DD]. The DD arises from the uncontroversial observation that if reality is fundamentally contradictory then any true theory should

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Ralph, As I have said, I am not interested in anything you have to say. End of correspondence. ___ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinf

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

This is the core of the problem. "Active Marxists" are irrevelant. Even though only a teeny weeny portion of the literate public is interested in this subject matter, the idea that one addresses only one's comrades already condemns one to hopeless provincialism. You have no qualms about impo

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Van Heijenoort argues that Engels was backwards with respect to the mathematics of his time, and also narrow-minded and provincial with respect to the history of science (anti-English prejudice) coupled with an uncritical veneration of Marx. However, there are two important circumstantial fact

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Waistline, I think what I said was reasonably clear, if a little brief. As to this 'gem': "...materialism must change its form with every epoch making discovery." If I were convinced Engels knew what materialism was, I would still not agree with him. Since I do not accept philosophical mate

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

"What do you find naïve in Engel's views?" Everything he wrote about science, mathematics and philosophy, although the word "naive" was a little too mild. I should have said "rubbish". His other stuff I admire greatly. RL Comment Was Engels writings concerning science, mathematics a

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Charles, "What do you find naïve in Engel's views?" Everything he wrote about science, mathematics and philosophy, although the word "naive" was a little too mild. I should have said "rubbish". His other stuff I admire greatly. RL - Original Message - From: "Charles Brown" <[EMAIL

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Well, I was a proto-Marxist long before I became a Trotskyist, and I was put off Marxism by the dialectical gobbledygook I encountered in books written by communists, and academic Marxists. It was neither good Philsophy, nor bad science. And the logic was a joke. So, I think you are reading wh

[Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Rosa Lichtenstein Even so, since I rubbish all philosophical theories (ranging from all the classical ones you can name right through to Engles's naive views, and including Hegel's mystical clap trap) as ruling-class a priori superscience, your superficial skimming of my site is doubly in e

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Ralph, Thanks for the comments. I am sorry you cannot access the pages on my site. I do not know why that is. As to your specific points: 1) I wasn't sure what you were asking me here, or the relevance of the point you were making. I note in the introductory page that I am limiting myself

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Actually, the argument is framed in an entirely sectarian context, based on the experience of Trotskyism. Some examples from your home page: (1) Dialectical Materialism (DM) has been the official philosophy of active revolutionary socialists for over a hundred years. During that time, the mo

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

I don't know how you construct your web pages, but I am unable to fully access this page using Internet Explorer. My computer keeps freezing up. After numerous attempts I have been able to get to the beginning of note 18. Yet I can access presumably much larger size files on other sites. I

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Ralph, As far as my comments on wave-particle duality were concerened, I was of course not trying to resolve this paradox (how could I? I am not a physicist!). I was merely pointing out that given the thesis that all of reality is contradictory, dialecticians should advise physicists to stop

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Ralph, You made this assertion a week or so ago, and I denied it. I have never been subjected to sectarianism (or not any of much note|). How you worked that out beats me. And I find you attempt to distance Hegel from the philosophy I am criticising odd too. Even so, since I rubbish all ph

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

This is an odd comment! The class struggle is not dependent on the 'dialectic', an idealist notion Hegel pinched from Hermetic philosophers. We do not need this mystical theory to provide a scientific account of history. In fact, it gets in the way, since it is incomprehensible. Anyway, the

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

When I was first apprised of this web site, I read a few chapters, but did not make it to the text quoted My initial impression was that the author was a victim of an extremely sectarian milieu and had to go through quite an ordeal digging herself out of it. The marks of this sectarianism are

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

rosa, charles, sorry for geting involved in this talk. just one remark: rosa says class struggle will go on. how can she say that if she rejects the concept of dialectic. since it is dilectic itself that reveals itself in the class strugle and if she says class struggle will go on then she

[Marxism-Thaxis] Reporter for LCR's Rouge: Morales is "going in the direction of satisfying popular demands"

IV Online magazine : IVP375 - February 2006 Bolivia The Morales government Herve do Alto Following the victory of Evo Morales and the MAS Herve Do Alto sends us his first impressions of the new MAS government. On the mo

[Marxism-Thaxis] Bolivia's Minister of Presidency: "A government of the poor, for the poor"

IV Online magazine : IVP375 - February 2006 Bolivia "A government of the poor, for the poor" Exclusive interview with Juan Ramon Quintana Juan Ramon Quintana Juan Ramon Quintana had hardly had time to settle into his new

Re: [Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

Charles, thanks for those comments. I absolutely agree, much anti-dialectic stuff is hackneyed to high heaven. As to my claim that my ideas are largely original to me, you will have to check for yourself. What can I say...? "You know. Like that Lenin is using a metaphysical concept when he an

[Marxism-Thaxis] People's History of Science

rosa lichtenstein Charles, I did not thank you for that reference in order to initiate a debate, but becasues I was genuinely grateful. And we have been through this before. [I forgot that whatever replies I made to you would go across the e-mail list, so no wonder you thought I wanted a deba