Ethical foundations of the left

[Luke Benjamin Weiger]

Interesting idea.  I know Rorty wishes that the distinction between
literature (among other modes of discourse) and philosophy would "dissolve"
(in the parlance of analytical philosophy).  Perhaps the distinction between
politics and ethics is illegitimate.  The reason I introduced this thread in
the first place, though, was to find out the moral grounds for left goals.
It's quite easy to espouse a desire for, say, equality, but quite another to
state exactly why you believe its attainment to be a desirable end.  I fear
that sometimes a given Marxist's value set is scarcely more a result of
critical reflection than that of his counterpart in the Christian Coalition.

-- Luke

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenneth MacKendrick" <kenneth.mackendrick at utoronto.ca>
To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 7:32 PM
Subject: Re: Ethical foundations of the left


> At 01:04 AM 7/18/01 -0700, you wrote:
>
> >Does that mean that you deny the existence of ethics because there is no
> >plausible test for verification?
>
> I'm wondering if we should rethink the distinction between politics and
> ethics. As far as I can read, ethics and politics are pretty much
> interchangeable terms.
>
> minima moralia,
> ken