• ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
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    2 years ago

    Here’s another way to put it by analogy: the gravity of Einstein is not the gravity of Newton.

    As I’ve just explained, I don’t think that’s a very useful way to look at the world. Gravity is gravity, and Newton’s conception of gravity was less accurate than Einstein’s conception. How each individual conceived of gravity does not change how gravity works. Similarly, the socialist phase of development is a material phenomenon that the society must go through. How Marx or Lenin conceived of this phase does not change the nature of this phase. Fixating on historical understanding of this phenomenon is not useful outside of doing historical analysis.

      • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
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        2 years ago

        That’s literally my point, the words are just labels for underlying concepts. I didn’t say the word socialism is equivalent to the material transition of society. What I said is that it best captures our current understanding of this concept.

        • jackalope
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          2 years ago

          And I’m arguing that concepts have no independent reality apart from words.

          The word is not the concept. But the concept is also jot the material reality. You’re reifying concepts and treating them as if they have some sort of transhistorical reality.

          • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
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            2 years ago

            I completely agree that the word is not the concept, that’s literally what I’ve been saying in the past few comments in several different ways.

            I’m not reifying concepts and treating them as if they have some sort of transhistorical reality. I’m saying that at any point in time we have a particular understanding of the concepts which builds on prior ideas.

            I feel like we’re just talking past each other at this point, and we’re clearly not getting anywhere. I propose we stop here. Nothing new has been said for a while.