[lbo-talk] Bertrand Russell "Considered purely as a philosopher, Marx has grave shortcomings.

[c b]

On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 10:50 PM, socialismorbarbarism
<socialismorbarbarism at gmail.com> wrote:
> I believe Russell is trying to say that Marx "retained a cosmic [sic]
> optimism" because he failed [sic] to "assimilate the fact" that "Man has
> not ... cosmic importance," a fact that Russell feels for some reason is
> very important to recognize. To which Marx could reply (has replied,
> really): Of what import is man's "cosmic importance," or lack thereof, to
> anything of any importance to anybody?
>
> Russell: "No man who has failed to assimilate this fact has a right to call
> his philosophy scientific." Funny, I was left feeling that it was Russell
> who was edging close to waiving his my-philosophy-is-scientific rights.
>
>

CB: Yeah. Mr. Logic is being quite self-contradictory , making a new
Russell's paradox

How is that someone who is " too practical, too much wrapped up in the
problems of his time (with) His
purview ... confined to this planet, and, within this planet, to Man."
falls into some type of "cosmic indulgence" fallacy.  Marx's earthly
focused concerns are definitively non-cosmic. Marx confines "Man"
(sic) to the place where he has some significance, Earth. Marx's
optimism is not cosmic, but earthly, materialist, and in the working
classes.  Russell declares that Marx only concerns himself with
Earthly, practical matters, and then contradicts himself by saying
Marx concerns himself with cosmic , super-earthly optimism. Surely u
jest when u claim it is Marx whose the "man" referred to : " It has
been evident that Man has not the cosmic importance which he formerly
arrogated to himself. No man who has failed to assimilate

 this fact has a right to call his philosophy scientific..."


> On Mon, Aug 12, 2013 at 3:11 AM, c b <cb31450 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Bertrand Russell
>> "Considered purely as a philosopher, Marx has grave shortcomings. He
>> is too practical, too much wrapped up in the problems of his time. His
>> purview is confined to this planet, and, within this planet, to Man.
>> It has been evident that Man has not the cosmic importance which he
>> formerly arrogated to himself. No man who has failed to assimilate
>> this fact has a right to call his philosophy scientific. Marx
>> professed himself an atheist, but retained a cosmic optimism which
>> only theism could justify."
>>
>> -Bertrand Russell "A History of Western Philosophy" (1945) Book Three,
>> Part II, Chapter XXVII Karl Marx p.788
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