Re: (OPE-L) a genius?

From: Mongiovi Gary (mongiovg@STJOHNS.EDU)
Date: Tue May 13 2003 - 11:33:56 EDT


I agree the word is overused, but how would you define "genius", Jerry?

Gary

Gary Mongiovi, Co-editor
Review of Political Economy
Economics & Finance Department
St John's University
Jamaica, NEW YORK 11439
USA

Tel: +1 (718) 990-7380
FAX: +1 (718) 990-1868
E-mail: mongiovg@stjohns.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: OPE-L [mailto:OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU] On Behalf Of glevy@PRATT.EDU
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 11:22 AM
To: OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU
Subject: (OPE-L) a genius?

(was "Re: value and labour")

Andy wrote on Tuesday, May 13:

> I agree Sraffa is a genius to be taken extremely seriously.

By all means, let's take Sraffa's writings seriously.  But,
a "genius"?  How so?

"Genius", like "hero", is one of those words that has become,
imo, too generally used to describe exceptional people or
actions.  Perhaps Marx was a genius ... I'm not sure.  I can't
think of any figures in the history of political economy who
could be described accurately as a genius.  Can you or others
on the list think of a "genius" in the history of political
economy and economics?  There were certainly some serious
intellectuals and scholars in the history of Marxism (Lenin,
Trotsky, Luxemburg, Gramsci come to mind), but I don't really
think they were geniuses.  Is there any Marxist since Marx who
could fairly be described as being a genius?

In solidarity, Jerry


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