From: HDespain-AT-aol.com
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 10:06:35 EDT
Subject: Re: BHA: Response to CCR Conference


Hi all,

My impressions from the conference in Örebro are really quite mixed. One 
thought I found myself pondering was what it meant to be some sort of 
critical realist?  It is not entirely clear how one would answer this 
question, especially at the level of concrete singularity and tranformative 
agency.  Actually I suspect my own convinctions begin to diverge from many 
critical realist at a more concrete level.

The strength of critical realism is at the more abstract levels, for example, 
at a (transcendentally!) ontological level and critical (especially immanent 
and explanatory) level.  Seemingly if we really have open totalities, we 
should expect critial realists to view informed practice sometimes 
differently, maybe radically so ...
It seems to me, we cannot expect any critical realist theory or analysis to 
be able to inform us on any specific action to be taken.  I suppose my view 
that (truthful or good) critical realist theories will be limited in pointing 
the way forward, perhaps only being able to inform us 'what *not* to do'; 
while in contrast, to repeat, being rather limited for informing us on 'what 
to do'.  Concrete singularity is simple too complicated, not to mention 
socially embedded.

These convinctions are not necessarily held because of  a lack of normative 
and ethical analysis within critical realism (although certainly a concrete 
weakness for CR); rather because as the normative, ethical, and political 
analysis is developed, the radical openness of social reality, should find 
open possibilities for how any one critical realist believes the future 
should be transformed. 

Nonetheless, I was quite encouraged with my visit to Örebro.  The heavy, yet 
critical, presence of critical realism which exists at the university, 
especially in sociology, was for me quite promising.  Maybe such a department 
can carry-out critical realist research without being constantly put on the 
defence against hyper-post-moderns, and (implicit) deductivists alike.

However, because the situation at Örebro is rather unique, the urgency of 
practical questions will tend to be under-theorized due to a necessity to 
develop further the critial level.  For example, in economics it is still the 
critical level that demands urgency.

Following the conference there also was a certain discouragement which was 
manifest in my thinking.  How to articulate this discouragement?  Well, maybe 
it is that I sense a particular dogmatic tendency, in the attitude that 
somehow critical realism (simple) holds the "best" informed scientific 
theories.  Even being over-triumphant in our ability to identify the "best" 
theories.  Further still, that if some critical realist theory can be dubbed 
the "best" or most turthfully  warranted, the license offered at the level of 
judgemental rationality is actually quite limited (in my view).  

Maybe at the level of concerte singularity or transformative praxis, it 
should be expected that it is impossible to identify any particular action 
taken as being critical realist or otherwise.  At the normative level the 
transcendental is all but left behind!  Not in that the world is split in a 
Kantian sense, acutally quite the contrary.  Transcendental knowledge being 
radically empirically embedded, is contingent, (perhaps) the "best" we 
currently know, consequently normative and transformative knowledge (even if 
we can claim it is judgmental rationalist), remains contingent.  In this 
sense we must heed the presence of a type of (Kantian) transencental 
illusion, and attempt to avoid making it.   Something that both Hegelians and 
Marxians have not taking proper heed.

Finally, I would like to say there were many interesting papers and ideas 
presented.   And exciting debates manifest.  I would also like to thank all 
the people at Örebro for a very well-organized and successful conference.  
And I am looking forward to the next one.

Hans D.


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