>>The problem of the entire relationship between the physical sciences, the human sciences and what is known as everyday common sense is one that needs badly to be solved. Without a solution to it communism stands on weak and unconvincing ground.>>
1. Logical positivists/logical empiricists, like scientific realists, tend to reject Marxist approaches to social sciences because they largely reject social sciences (Noam Chomsky would be a prime example of the scientific realist position, and because he is seen as an original thinker in linguistics, it is worth citing him here) . I'm not saying I agree with this rejection though. 2. To the extent that socialism might be a label for a real political platform, I would venture the relationship between physical and human sciences (which we might break down further into social, psychological and 'formal') is not really a major concern. Scientists might want or reject universal health care, equal access to education, adequate retirements for all, and an end to capitalist state militarism, but their position as individuals should have no more importance than the non-scientists. That so many have positions of privilege under the current system even helps explain the prevalence of right wing libertarianism amongst them. 3. Unity of science is a theme that persists into this post-modern era well past the logical positivists and the Vienna Circle. I think there was interesting interaction between Vygotsky and Piaget on this. I think of Piaget's work on philosophy of science as more important than Kuhn's in regards to a vision that concerns itself with unity of science. 4. I think Feyerabend and Lakatos are worth looking at in this regard because they are on issues of philosophy of science (when it leads to the sociology of science) the true heirs of the Vienna Circle and Popper (although he was not a member of the circle, they were an enormous influence on him). The logical empiricists and scientific realists might not like where it all led, but in a nutshell, they show that the very same grounds (and more) that people like Popper used to show Marx-Engel-Leninism and Freud-Jungianism as pseudo-scientific could be used against ALL the sciences. Politically them seem to have been well left of Popper. CJ _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list [email protected] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
