CB said:
However, analogizing to chemistry and biology, biology does not reduce to chemistry. Human psychology does not reduce to individual physiological psychology.
Absolutely. On the first point, yes, biology cannot be reduced to chemistry. On the second point, I also completely agree: in the same way that biology does not reduce to chemistry, psychology does not reduce to physiology.
These points, common among anti-reductionist thinkers such as Marxists, fits into a larger framework, in my opinion. I believe that comprehending and explaining the relations between, the structures of, and the functions of domains - and doing so in terms of their real genetic-historical development - are among the great challenges of modern science that I believe dialectical materialism can play a leading role in moving forward. In fact, differences in theoretical outlooks may be explainable by seeing conflicting views as conceptualizing domains differently - seeing the relations, structures, and functions of various "domains" in different, often opposite, ways. Hence, ontology remains a hot area of dispute and always will as long as different class outlooks remain in mortal struggle and conceptualize the domains of reality in incompatible ways.
This argument of course begs for a clear explanation of what a "domain" is. Very good question!
- Steve _______________________________________________ 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
