File spoon-archives/bhaskar.archive/bhaskar_2000/bhaskar.0006, message 68


From: "Erik Weissengruber" <epweissengruber-AT-hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: BHA: various queries
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000 15:31:06 EDT


Do the memebers of this list feel slightly embarassed by RB latest book.

I have a hard enough time defending myself, and now that RB seems to have 
stepped off into the land of the faeries, it makes my job even harder.

What are the chances for success in establishing CR given that its leading 
intellectual has fallen for mysticism.

I truly hate it when people who are smarter act in a silly manner: I don't 
have the brain-power to get them to stop.




>From: "Colin Wight" <Colin.Wight-AT-aber.ac.uk>
>Reply-To: bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>To: <bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
>Subject: RE: BHA: various queries
>Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 09:15:10 +0100
>
>Hi Mervyn,
>
>Very quickly. I do think that for various reasons there is a general mood
>within what we might call Western civilization for some form of spiritual
>"hook-up". Traditional religion just doesn't seem to do it, but a sense of
>spiritual absence and the desire to fill has led, I think, to all sorts of
>new age movements and a turning to Eastern philosophies. You can see this 
>as
>a form of postmodern religion where people electically take the bit they
>like but not others. It's kind of a religious supermarket (there was a good
>programme on this last night) where you can believe in heaven, but perhaps
>not God, reincarnation, but not the soul, etc. A kind of design your own 
>set
>of beliefs. I think RB might be tapping into this, but it is very
>problematic. Mind you I view FEW as RB's most postmodern book; the novella
>in part 2 for example is clearly autobiographical yet he denies that it is 
>a
>claim to historical truth (which parts aren't true?).
>
>Cheers,
>
>=================================>Dr. Colin Wight
>Department of International Politics
>University of Wales, Aberystwyth
>Tel: 01970 621769
>http://www.aber.ac.uk/~cow
>==================================>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> > [mailto:owner-bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu]On Behalf Of Mervyn
> > Hartwig
> > Sent: 02 June 2000 21:36
> > To: bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> > Subject: Re: BHA: various queries
> >
> >
> > Hi Colin
> >
> > >the book has clearly struck a deep spiritual longing.
> >
> > Could you elaborate a bit please?
> >
> > Mervyn
> >
> >
> > Colin Wight <Colin.Wight-AT-aber.ac.uk> writes
> > >Hi Jan,
> > >
> > >Yes the idea that this whole disaster was immanent was of course Ruth's
> > >point. I don't buy it myself. Or at least, I have to wonder why
> > i have not
> > >caught the bug. Oh god (metaphorical slip), maybe I have the virus and 
>am
> > >not aware of it. Actually, as a form of punishment I keep
> > re-reading it. I
> > >do not agree that it is his most open and honest book to date.
> > Accessible,
> > >well maybe, but access to what?
> > >
> > >Your queries:
> > >
> > >
> > >>
> > >>- where are those beautiful schema's and illustrations ?
> > >>[i certainly miss the one outlining the interwoven structure
> > >>of the lives of part 2]
> > >
> > >beautiful? What planet are you on mon ami?
> > >
> > >>
> > >>- are notions as "reincarnation" and "ex nihile" really without
> > >>incoherence ?
> > >
> > >The argument for reincarnation is, well let's just say it is...
> > >>
> > >>- and what about the theorem "Thus one changes society by
> > >>first (and also) changing oneself."[EW:68] ?
> > >
> > >Don't mind this, as a necessary but insufficient condition.
> > >
> > >>
> > >>- isn't TDCR -in the end- vulnerable to the charge of total
> > >>absorbence and thus total immunization of critique ? [again,
> > >>it's "unbounding" but is it coherent ?]
> > >
> > >Absolutely, which is why I earlier called it Transcendent dogmatism.
> > >>
> > >>- and what is the function of part 2, or rather, is its didactical
> > >>function not a bit meager ? [to mee it seems just a nice outline
> > >>for a film script ;-) [and in what sense is it autobiographical]
> > >
> > >It can only be understood as autobigraphical, check out life 15.
> > >
> > >>
> > >>***
> > >>
> > >>anyway, i find it his most open, honest and accessable book,
> > >>it's a work-book, and i'm going to plan some workshops on it
> > >
> > >Quite what you will do on it intruiges me. I'm intriuged at how many 
>CRer
> > >plan to do this, the book has clearly struck a deep spiritual longing. 
>I
> > >blame the millennium myself, but then as far as religion is concerned 
>I'm
> > >firmly with Marx.
> > >
> > >>yours in TIC,
> > >
> > >Go on, you simply must explain TIC. Pleasssseeee Jan?
> > >
> > >On a more serious note, since you and i both share an interest in Zizek 
>I
> > >wonder how his fussing about absence (lack) relates to his concern with
> > >religion?
> > >
> > >Cheers,
> > >>Jan
> > >>
> > >>         "there is little to say; the men are away" (EW:97)
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> > >>
> > >>
> > >============================================> > >
> > >
> > >Dr. Colin Wight
> > >Department of International Politics
> > >University of Wales, Aberystwyth
> > >Wales
> > >SY23 3DA
> > >Tel: (01970) 621769
> > >
> > >
> > >     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> >
> > --
> > Mervyn Hartwig
> > 13 Spenser Road
> > Herne Hill
> > London SE24 ONS
> > United Kingdom
> > Tel: 020 7 737 2892
> > Email: mh-AT-jaspere.demon.co.uk
> >
> >
> >      --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> >
>
>
>
>      --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

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