Date: Sat, 4 May 1996 00:12:21 -0400
Subject: Re: Althusser - on Science


In a message dated 96-05-03 21:57:05 EDT, you write:

>
>John, could you give us a paragraph or two on how Althusser thinks we can
>have an ideology-free science?
>
>I haven't read him, and I appreciate summaries by others, such as yourself.
>
>Of course, actually existing science is not ideology-free, but many honest
>scientists are trying to figure out how things really work.
>
>
>     ---

Althusser's ideas of developing a science involves the idea of an
"epistemological break," an idea which comes from Bachelard, and it is
somewhat similar to Kuhn's idea of paradigm and paradigm shift. The best
example I can think of to illustrate this is the same one used by Kuhn(I
can't recall the name of the book but I can get it if anyone is interested).
 Kuhn talks about the Catholic view of the universe and how the religious
paradigm, or ideology as Althusser would see it, held that the sun, moon, and
stars revolved around the earth which was of course at the center of
everything.  Along comes Copernicus and he says well no thats not exactly
right, it may appear to be the case and certainly our observations of the
rising and setting sun and moon seem to inform us that it is indeed the case,
it is however not true.  What has happened for Kuhn is a paradigm shift and
for Althusser Copernicus has produced an epistemological break leading us
away from the ideology of the church and into "science."  The story continues
of course, and Copernicus' "science" becomes an ideology and it is up to
Galileo to produce another epistemological break and again move us into
"science."
  For Althusser the idea of creating a science revolves around the difference
between the "real" and the "thought" of the real.  At this point I think its
very easy to lead oneself into a metaphysical maze from which one would never
escape.  At any rate in order to create a science we must refine our concept
of the real so that it coheres with the real and we must be able to "think"
our concept.
  In _Reading Capital_ Althusser explains Marx's own epistemological break
between the "young Marx" and the Marx of _Capital_.  My knowledge of Marx is
almost entirely from secondary sources and until I read Marx I can't really
comment on his works. I hope I will be forgiven this oversight but I've come
late to the world of knowledge and ideas.  I have, however, read Althusser
and Balibar's _Reading Capital_ and I have been struggling with their ideas
and also with a good chunk of the secondary literature surrounding the man.  
  I hope I've shed some light on the subject I imagine that I will be
struggling with Althusser for some time come.

John


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