Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 11:55:23 -0800 (PST)
From: Ralph Dumain <rdumain-AT-igc.apc.org>
Subject: Re: M-TH: DIALECTICS OF NATURE & SCIENTIFC THEORY -- RETORT


Too bad Scott finds my word-salad unpalatable.  Well, I had hoped
to avoid a strenuous recapitulation of all the discussions that
took place on marxism, marxism2, marxism-thaxis, and I can't
remember where else.  I will refer again, as I always do, to the
debate between Richard Norman and Sean Sayers in a book with a
title something like MARX, HEGEL, AND DIALECTIC (Humanities
Press).  I take Norman's side in this debate.

What sense does it make to attribute "contradiction" to material
reality rather than to logical statements?  How can this happen?
Clearly, when our world-picture both correctly reflects reality
and yet involves logical or categorial contradictions within it.
Only when our logical, theoretical apparatus is completely
developed and organized, is it possible to determine where the
contradictions are, if any.  All of theoretical thought aims to
avoid inconsistency, as Malgosia points out.  If contradiction
cannot be eliminated from the world-picture, then one can assert
that there is contradiction in the world, since the world can only
be described by contradictory yet complementary categories.  In
this process of determining objective dialectical processes, there
is a constant interchange between the putative domains of
subjective dialectics and objective dialectics, which involves
niceties not recognized by Engels using numerous stupid examples
nor by blanket statements about an underlying system of
dialectical laws governing nature, society, and thought.  I hope
this brief clarification is of help to Carlile as well.

Those who have seen me argue these points before know that I am
more on the side of Engels than his detractors.  I don't think he
was as dumb as his epigones.  The reason I exploded on this list
was not because the stupid shit that annoyed me was merely
intellectually incompetent, but that Stalinist orthodoxy was
invoked, and particularly the abhorrent name of Chairman Mao.
That is why I find Chatterjee and the notorious Adolpho so
disgusting.  If we can't get beyond that childish level of
philosophical ratiocination, we ought to give it up and close down
the list.


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