[lbo-talk] who is Walter Benn Michaels?

Carrol Cox cbcox at ilstu.edu
Wed Jan 23 09:39:58 PST 2008


Walter Benn Michaels and Steven Knapp raised a storm back in the '70s or '80s when they published an article, "Against Theory," in _Critical Inquiry_. Google it and you will get the first couple paragraphs, which state the thesis re intepretation: No general theory of interpretation can constrain, confirm, disconfirm, or aid in the interpretation of a text.

They were, I believe, influenced by, even disciples of, Rorty.

[I think I have just made a neurological discovery re my vision. I've been having a good deal of troubl lately seeing double: e.g., Rorty above keeps appearing as Rorrty or as RoRoyrty etc. I have to blink and look more closely at the screen to see it as Rorty. My discovery is that if I close either eye the doubleness disappears. Intriguing. Perhaps some recent TIAs I didn't notice?]

Carrol



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