Dialectic: the pulse of freedom PDF
Preview Dialectic: the pulse of freedom
Dialectic ‘Bhaskar goes back to the beginning of the Western philosophical quest and offers a brilliant refashioning of the dialectic. Because his ‘dialectical critical realism’ is systematic, ontologically sustained and self-consciously ethical and political, he is able to give stunning readings of key chapters in the history of philosophy. This is a unique book full of gems.’—Peter Manicas ‘In this stunning book, Roy Bhaskar develops his own programme of critical realism into a radically new and original theory of dialectics and a critique of previous theories from the ancient Greeks to twentieth century neo-Marxism. The result is comparable in its scope and ambition to Sartre’s critique of dialectical reasoning. It is hard to think of any other contemporary philosopher with the powers to bring this off.’—William Outhwaite ‘I deeply admire its vast range, rigour and originality…a massively important work.’—Terry Eagleton Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom is now widely regarded as a classic of contemporary philosophy. This book, first published in 1993, sets itself three main aims: the development of a general theory of dialectic, of which Hegelian dialectic can be seen to be a special case; the dialectical enrichment and deepening of critical realism, viz. into the system of dialectical critical realism; and the outline of the elements of a totalizing critique of Western philosophy. Included in Dialectic for the first time is an introduction by founding editor of the Journal of Critical Realism, Mervyn Hartwig. This expert description of the significance of Bhaskar’s work adds another dimension to a book already impressive in scope and detail. Roy Bhaskar is the originator of the philosophy of critical realism and the author of many acclaimed and influential works, including A Realist Theory of Science, The Possibility of Naturalism, Scientific Realism and Human Emancipation, Philosophy and the Idea of Freedom, Plato Etc., Reflections on Meta-Reality and From Science to Emancipation. He was the founding chair of the Centre for Critical Realism and is currently a World Scholar at the University of London Institute of Education. Mervyn Hartwig is founding editor of the Journal of Critical Realism and editor of A Dictionary of Critical Realism. Classical Texts in Critical Realism Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom Roy Bhaskar A Realist Theory of Science Roy Bhaskar Forthcoming: Plato Etc Roy Bhaskar Reclaiming Reality Roy Bhaskar Scientific Realism and Human Emancipation Roy Bhaskar Dialectic The Pulse of Freedom Roy Bhaskar First published 2008 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2008. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk/.” © 2008 Roy Bhaskar All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN10: 0-415-45491-3 (pbk) ISBN10: 0-203-09074-8 (ebk) ISBN13: 978-0-415-45491-9 (pbk) ISBN13: 978-0-203-09074-9 (ebk) ISBN 0-203-89263-1 Master e-book ISBN FOR SHEILA Contents Introduction by Mervyn Hartwig xiii Preface xxxiii Abbreviations xxxv 1 Introduction: Critical Realism, Hegelian Dialectic and the 1 Problems of Philosophy—Preliminary Considerations § 1 Objectives of the Book 1 § 2 ‘Dialectic’: An Initial Orientation 3 § 3 Negation 4 § 4 Four Degrees of Critical Realism 7 § 5 Prima Facie Objections to Critical Realism 13 § 6 On the Sources and General Character of the Hegelian 14 Dialectic § 7 On the Immanent Critique and Limitations of the 21 Hegelian Dialectic § 8 The Fine Structure of Hegelian Dialectic 26 § 9 Epistemological Dialectic and the Problems of 30 Philosophy 2 Dialectic: The Logic of Absence—Arguments, Themes, 35 Perspectives, Configurations § 1 Absence 35 § 2 Emergence 45 CONTENTS § 3 Contradiction I: Hegel and Marx 52 § 4 Contradiction II: Misunderstandings 66 § 5 On the Materialist Diffraction of Dialectic 79 § 6 Dialectical Arguments and the Unholy Trinity 95 § 7 Dialectical Motifs: Tina Formations, Mediation, 104 Concrete Universality, etc. § 8 On the Generalized Theory of the Dialectical Remark, 124 the Failure of Detachment and the Presence of the Past § 9 Dialectical Critical Naturalism 142 § 10 Towards a Real Definition of Dialectic 162 3 Dialectical Critical Realism and the Dialectic of Freedom 191 § 1 Ontology 191 § 2 The Dialectic of Truth 200 § 3 On the Emergence and Derivability of Dialecticized 209 Transcendental Realism § 4 1M Realism: Non-Identity 216 § 5 2E Realism: Negativity 222 § 6 Space, Time and Tense 234 § 7 Social Science, Explanatory Critique, Emancipatory 240 Axiology § 8 3L Realism: Totality 252 § 9 4D Realism: Agency 257 § 10 The Dialectic of Desire to Freedom 260 § 11 Dialectical Critical Realism and the Dialectics of 279 Critical Realism CONTENTS 4 Metacritical Dialectics: Irrealism and Its Consequences 287 § 1 Irrealism 287 § 2 The Problems of Philosophy and Their Resolution 293 § 3 Contradictions of the Critical Philosophy 300 § 4 Dilemmas of the Beautiful Soul and the Unhappy 304 Consciousness § 5 Master and Slave: From Dialectics of Reconciliation 307 to Dialectics of Liberation § 6 The Metacritique of the Hegelian Dialectic 313 § 7 Marxian Dialectic I: The Rational Kernel in the 320 Mystical Shell § 8 Marxian Dialectic II: The Mystical Shell in the 324 Rational Kernel § 9 Metacritical Dialectics: Philosophical Ideologies— 329 Their Sublation and Explanation § 10 The Consequences of Irrealism 339 § 11 Diffracted and Retotalized Dialectics 345 § 12 Dialectic as the Pulse of Freedom 352 Notes 360 Glossary 368 Name Index 384 Subject Index 386
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