Interesting comment on the Dewey Decimal System. Now I am curious about how it was invented and constructed, and how Hegelianism was part of that. The Library of Congress system also has a logic I haven't investigated but would like to understand. Also, BTW, who were the "St. Louis Hegelians"?
There is exactly one journal article on Hegel's influence on the DDC. I'll look up the reference. I don't know where my copy of the article is, but if I find it, I should scan it.
The LC system is not very logical, but it works for classifying millions of documents.
I will also look up the reference to Jolley. I think it is THE FABRIC OF KNOWLEDGE. I think I have this buried deep.
St. Louis Hegelians--wow! I'm lacking for time now, but here's my bibliography:
The American Hegelians http://www.autodidactproject.org/bib/hegelus1.html
There's also a connection between the Ohio Hegelians and abolitionism.
Yes, I agree, that idealist form that emergence theorizing took in the 1920's definitely contains hazardous material. Vygotsky has a succinct remark about that trend I'll try to dig up. I also want to mention an article or two by an activity theory influenced theoretician named Keith Sawyer (teaches at Washington Univ in St Louis, by coincidence) where he traces the history of emergence theory back to the 1870's - but in a later post, kinda short on time this week.
Please do look up these references.
I realize I am swimming against certain classical Marxist terminology trends by using the term mechanical in this particular way, but it somehow seems to feel right to me to use this as the core concept - the organizing concept - behind formal, Aristotelian, and other "non-dialectical" kinds of logic. I would happily listen to an argument against this way of using "mechanical".
I'm probably swimming more against the tide than you are. Perhaps some significant discussion will emerge later on.
What a terrific web site you have, Ralph! I've used materials from it numerous times already and looking it over now am somewhat dizzied by the depth and breadth of the articles you have compiled. Bravo!
Thanks!
_______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
