Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 14:03:41 +0000
Subject: Re: BHA: what's next


Hallo all,


> But I'm a little surprised, Karl, by your post.  I'm not clear why it would
> be "unnerving," as you put it, that the Bhaskar list would be focused on
> reading and discussing of Bhaskar's works.  I don't think that there is any
> question that the list was founded for this purpose.  (See the list address,
> the original project of reading of RTS, etc.)

Of course.  I did not intend to give the impression that I found the focus on
bhaskar's works 'unnerving'.  Not in the slightest.  If I gave that impression,
I apologise.  My intention was to draw attention to the manner in which the
discussion of direction was being conducted at times.  It wasn't whether we
should focus on one book or another which bothered me.  I am happy to cede to
the list's popular decision.  I have no preference regarding which text to
discuss.  I was more concerned with the manner in which any book other than a
Bhaskar one (whether it be by Archer or anyone else) was dismissed in a way
which, to my mind, seemed to conceive the list as dedicated to the line-by-line
exposition of only bhaskar's work.  If that is the case, then fair enough.  I
realise it's called the Bhaskar List and understand its obvious tendency to
focus on Bhaskar.  I am also very pleased to be part of something which
actually conducts discussions of specific texts in a focused way - no other
list I belong to does that.  But I was just concerned over the way in which
there seemed to me a tendency on occasion, as illustrated by the recent
discussion, to elide critical realism and Bhaskar.  Or to dismiss anything
which did not match his latest position.

With best wishes,

Karl

Karl Maton
School of Education, University of Cambridge

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