On Thu, 4 Jun 1998 12:34:10 +0100 Jim heartfield <Jim at heartfield.demon.co.uk> writes:
...
>A. should have gone not to Engels' later letters to Conrad Schmidt on
>historical materialism, but to his formulation that 'freedom is the
>recognition of necessity ... and the leap from necessity'. Seeing the
>obstacles in your way is the precondition of overcoming them.
>--
>Jim heartfield
>
This is curious because while Althusser was a confirmed anti-Hegelian he also professed to regard Spinoza as Marx's true precursor. Engels' equation of freedom with the recognition of necessity while derived from Hegel represented a view of freedom that had roots in Spinoza. A possible key to understanding this aspect of Althusser's thought might
be found in a closer examination of Althusser's admiration of August Comte. Whereas, neither Marx nor Engels had much use for Comte's Positivism, Althusser made a number of admiring references to Comte in both *Pour Marx* and *Lire le Capital.* I would submit that here may perhaps be found the roots for Althusser's tendency to treat subjectivity and human agency as epiphenomena.
Jim Farmelant
_____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]