Brian-
One point you may be interested in (or already aware). Sandra Harding in THE
SCIENCE QUESTION IN FEMINISM refers to what she calls a "curious coincidence"
between some feminist and "African-centered" analyses. Apparently
independently, two groups of scholars both identified Cartesian epistemology and
rationality and Baconian notions of "science" as on the one hand part of sexist
ideology and the other hand part of racist ideology. The alternative frameworks
offered in place of androcentrism and eurocentrism also displayed "curious
coincidences." We've batted this around here or elsewhere before and its
questionable how "coincidental" this is, but you get the point. Well, we can
add a third area -- domination of nature and ecological destruction. See Carolyn
Merchant's THE DEATH OF NATURE, for (one of many) example(s), and it's Descartes
and Bacon again. I think it is important to note that recognizing discursive
roots of ideologies of capitalist patriarchy, racism and ecological destruction
does not mean ignoring economic factors, material conditions, etc. One may even
take a very traditional determinist position and still recognize these factors.
Of course, one can also take a less determinist position in incorporating
ideological and discursive power into a framework that fully recognizes
non-discursive conditions. Whatever the approach, the relation of capitalism
and modern 'western' science and philosophy, and of capitalism and modern
patriarchy, racism, and ecological destruction would all be important parts of
the whole story.
Mat
