Dialectics for the New Century

Description

This anthology contains some of the more important Marxist thinkers now working on dialectics. As a whole the book is an unusual 'Introduction to Dialectics', a systematic restatement of what it is and how to use it, a survey of most of the main debates in the field, and a good picture of the current state of the art of dialectics. Contributors Christopher J. Arthur: Department of Philosophy (Emeritus), University of Sussex, UK John Bellamy Foster: Department of Sociology, University of Oregon, USA Ira Gollobin: lawyer and independent scholar, USA Nancy Hartstock: Department of Political Science, University of Washington, USA David Harvey: Department of Anthropology, City University of New York, USA Frederic Jameson: The Literature Program, Duke University, USA Joel Kovel: Division of Social Studies, Bard College, USA Richard Levins: School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA Bill Livant: Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Canada Michael Löwy: National Centre for Scientific Research, Paris, France Istvan Mszáros: Department of Philosophy (Emeritus), University of Sussex, UK Savas Michael-matsas: University of Athens, Greece Thomas T. Sekine: School of Commerce, Aichi-Gakuin University, Japan Lucien Sève: independent scholar, France Cover Title Page Copyright Contents List of Contributors 1. Introduction—Bertell Ollman and Tony Smith Note References II 2. Why Dialectics? Why Now?—Bertell Ollman I 3. Dialectics and Systems Theory—Richard Levins Wholes What are parts? Goal-seeking Outcomes Conclusion Note References 4. The Dialectics of Nature and Marxist Ecology—John Bellamy Foster Lukács and the dialectics of nature Pathway I: Classical Marxism and the dialectics of nature Pathway II: The development of Marxist ecology Notes References 5. I’ll Make You an Offer You Can’t Refuse—Bill Livant 6. Dialectics of Emergence—Lucien Sève From the whole to totality Mechanical and dialectical relationships The idea of an organic whole From totality to emergence The limits to explaining the superior by the inferior Quantity and quality Where do the novel properties of a new quality come from? Dialectics and emergence Notes References 7. The Dialectics of Spacetime—David Harvey The first dimension The second (Lefebvrian) dimension The ultimate dialectics of space and time The dialectics of space and time in Marxian theory Notes References 8. Persistencies of the Dialectic: Three Sites—Fredric Jameson Notes References 9. The Dialectics of Walking on Two Legs—Bill Livant Reference 10. Dialectical Transformations: Teleology, History and Social Consciousness—István Mészáros Social interaction and uneven development Problematical character of labor’s spontaneous teleology Interdependence and global control The structural constraints of social consciousness Notes References 11. Dialectics and Revolution: Trotsky, Lenin, Lukács—Michael Löwy Notes References 12. Dialectics and Revolution, Now—Savas Michael-Matsas ‘Why dialectics? Why now?’ Crisis as a school of dialectics Under the star of a catastrophe Metamorphosis Petrifaction The Song of Dialectics The dance of revolution Notes References 13. Towards a Systematic Dialectic of Globalization—Tony Smith Notes References 14. The Hole in Hegel’s Bagel—Bill Livant 15. The Dialectic of Capital: An Unoist Interpretation—Thomas T. Sekine References 16. Systematic Dialectic—Christopher J. Arthur Notes References 17. Marxist Feminist Dialectics for the Twenty-first Century—Nancy Hartsock Notes References 18. Dialectic as Praxis—Joel Kovel The nature of dialectic and the dialectic of nature References 19. Livant’s Cure for Baldness—Bill Livant 20. Dialectics and Wisdom—Ira Gollobin Prescientific views Scientific Views Conclusion Notes References Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W