[OPE-L:3772] Re: TransFORMation

Chai-on Le (conlee@chonnam.chonnam.ac.kr)
Wed, 4 Dec 1996 00:11:23 -0800 (PST)

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At 07:43 pm 96-12-03 -0800, Ramos wrote:

>(1) Do you think that Marx's using of "form" and "substance"
>(e.g. in V.I, Ch. 1) corresponds exactly to Hegel's?
>(2) What would be the difference between "substance" and
>"content"?
>(3) Do you know some published work(s) on this issue? I mean:
>Marx's key words coming from Hegel's work, like "substance"
>and "form". This terms have a long history in Philosophy,
>clearly beginning with Aristotle or Plato. I remember that
>Marx presents Aristotle as "the great investigator who was
>the first to analyse the value-form".
>

(1). In some sense, yes. Form and Content, in Hegel, belong to the sphere of
Phenomenon. The substance, in Hegel, belongs to that of Actuality (the unity
od Essence and Phenomenon). But, in Marx's case, because he drove the
substance from the Identity and the Difference, the substance might
correspond to Hegel's Ground, which belongs, in Hegel, to the sphere of Essence.
But, if we assume the substance is a valid concept not only to the category
of Value but also to that of Price (as we did), then Marx's substance, too
could be attributed to the of sphere of Actuality (like Hegel).

(2). Broadly speaking, Heghel's logic is sectioned into three spheres.
Essence, Phenomenon and Actuality are the three. Essence must appear but
does not show itself as it is, so that the phenomenon differs from the
essence. The actuality explains how and why the essence appears differently
from itself. The substance is a key concept of the three instances IMO. The
Ground and the substance seems to me connected. On the other hand, the form
and the content is two distinct faces of Phenomenon. In the entirety,
however, the form and the content are identical. (this is very similar logic
to Marx's total value= total price, etc)

(3). Sekine wrote some explaining Uno (1980). But it was misleading Hegel imo.
Other references are not known to me, yet. If you know some, please let me know.

Yours,

Chai-on
Faculty of Economics,
Chonnam National University,
Kwang-Ju, 500-757,
S Korea
Tel +82-62-520 7329
Fax +82-62-529 0446
E-m: conlee@chonnam.chonnam.ac.kr