Ethical foundations of the left

[Kenneth MacKendrick]

At 01:50 PM 7/31/01 -0500, you wrote:
>On Tue, 31 Jul 2001, Kenneth MacKendrick wrote:
>
> > ...Habermas argues we can distinguish between two kinds of interests:
> > an interest in understanding and an interest in mastery. One is
> > practical, the other is technical...
>
>The ancient and medieval West assumed these interests were separate, the
>latter the concern of slaves, artisans, peasants, etc., the former
>constituting the liberal (i.e., for the free) arts -- that's what the
>first line of the Metaphysics refers to.  The rise of Galilean science
>joined them -- understanding leads to mastery (and Faust is the
>dramatization of the transition).  What Science has joined together, let
>no Habermasian put asunder.  --CGE

'In self-reflection, theory (knowledge) and practice (interest) are one.'

         - JH, Knowledge and Human Interests (around page 310) [1965].