I was reading THIS [Click] and it lead me to reading about dialectical materialism--basically good old Hegelianism applied to society, economics, science etc. All well worth considering. It also led me to a bit or reading about Democratic Marxism. Not at all uninteresting, I dare say. And not at odds with Shakyamuni's proposition that both causes and conditions are necessary to the production of effects, either material or otherwise. Hegel was very popular among Indian [i.e. Buddhist] philosophers in East Asia during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Thesis engenders antithesis, which two combine in a synthesis, which being a new thesis engenders its own antithesis and so forth ad infinitim. All good fun!
And thus to bed. After a dose of ranitidine and a bit of time.
Let it be said that I personally consider Confucius to be the greatest social philosopher the human race has yet produced, but whoever is considered responsible for dialectical materialism or democratic marxism might not be a bad second or third choice. Any of them beat the current tribalists of US politics all to Hell.
Oooh! An optical migraine! Fun to watch now that I know what it is! (No pain.)
My goodness, Alan. It's tempting to suggest that all that philosophical reading and postulating is the catalyst of your migraine. But the truth is I only followed the gist of your musings at first. I'm totally with you on the former being a better construct than the present. What stripe of socialism would you say is Bernie Sanders' variety?
As a casual observer only, I should think he is more of a Social Democrat than a Socialist per se. I should put the dividing line at the question of whether or not one favors workers' ownership of the means of production. If yes, that would tip the balance toward Democratic Socialism. If no, Social Democracy. There is certainly room for overlap.
--Alan
P.S.: In college I majored in Chemistry and earned a minor in Asian Philosophy. One might (correctly) gather that I am a proponent of classical liberal education.
Whoop for Howard!
ReplyDeleteI was reading
THIS [Click] and it lead me to reading about dialectical materialism--basically good old Hegelianism applied to society, economics, science etc. All well worth considering. It also led me to a bit or reading about Democratic Marxism. Not at all uninteresting, I dare say. And not at odds with Shakyamuni's proposition that both causes and conditions are necessary to the production of effects, either material or otherwise. Hegel was very popular among Indian [i.e. Buddhist] philosophers in East Asia during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Thesis engenders antithesis, which two combine in a synthesis, which being a new thesis engenders its own antithesis and so forth ad infinitim. All good fun!
And thus to bed. After a dose of ranitidine and a bit of time.
--Alan
--Alan
Let it be said that I personally consider Confucius to be the greatest social philosopher the human race has yet produced, but whoever is considered responsible for dialectical materialism or democratic marxism might not be a bad second or third choice. Any of them beat the current tribalists of US politics all to Hell.
DeleteOooh! An optical migraine! Fun to watch now that I know what it is! (No pain.)
--Alan
My goodness, Alan. It's tempting to suggest that all that philosophical reading and postulating is the catalyst of your migraine. But the truth is I only followed the gist of your musings at first. I'm totally with you on the former being a better construct than the present. What stripe of socialism would you say is Bernie Sanders' variety?
ReplyDeleteAs a casual observer only, I should think he is more of a Social Democrat than a Socialist per se. I should put the dividing line at the question of whether or not one favors workers' ownership of the means of production. If yes, that would tip the balance toward Democratic Socialism. If no, Social Democracy. There is certainly room for overlap.
Delete--Alan
P.S.: In college I majored in Chemistry and earned a minor in Asian Philosophy. One might (correctly) gather that I am a proponent of classical liberal education.
Today is a very special day!!! Anyone got a good guess?
ReplyDeleteYa got me, listener.
Delete--Alan
Hint: Today is someone very sweet's birthday!
ReplyDeleteLet's see: Sweet. Maple sugar. Vermont. Vermont's birthday? [grin]
Delete