From: Rakesh Bhandari (bhandari@BERKELEY.EDU)
Date: Wed Apr 06 2005 - 22:47:07 EDT
At 11:12 AM -0700 4/6/05, Ian Wright wrote: > >Classical authors, perhaps including Marx, assumed the distinction >between machinery and labour was unproblematic, a kind of common-sense >humanism of the time. Ian, there is a lot to think through in your message. Very quickly: I meant to suggest that by taking the forms of social labor into which individuals are born as ontologically fundamental Marx was not committed to common sense humanism or Robinsonades. I do not think that is incompatible with saying that the whole still exists only in rem, that is, in concrete individuals. Moreover, in giving the form of social labor explanatory privilege Marx was putting man above all else in and against nature, not raising him above it as certain forms of humanism did. And Marx was not all humanist in his understanding of the sources of wealth. Note Carchedi's distinction between value and wealth (highlighted by Postone, Murray E.G. Smith and Marx himself) At any rate, may I ask for an explanation of what you mean by common sense humanism of the time. Yours, Rakesh
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