[lbo-talk] Bartels

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Fri Oct 7 12:01:13 PDT 2005


Miles:
> The problem with this analysis is that intelligent behavior is also
> the product of these same forces. Consider, for example, graduate
> studies in theoretical physics: they are under tremendous social
> pressure to think creatively and rigorously! Power hierarchies and
> conformity socially produce intelligent people, too. (Social forces
> expand human potential; they don't simply control or limit it!)

Absolutely. I even thought about sending that caveat after I posted the original message. The devil is in the details, as they say. The same forces that produce bad thing also produce good things under a different set of circumstances. That if why "under what set of conditions?" is probably the most important question a social scientist should ask. That is, btw, I have in a rather low regard the theories that try to explain everything, e.g. the neoclassical rat choice mode, the world systems approach or even versions of Marx class analysis.

To follow you train of thought - society is the source of all good things that we know - especially consciousness and knowledge, which would be impossible without social organizations and cooperation. Individual without society would be no more than a feral animal - no culture, no consciousness, no knowledge. But society also produces perverted versions of consciousness, knowledge, organization etc -- Aristotle already observed that in his _Politics_ if memory serves.

Wojtek



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