Critique of The Notion of Socialism As A Science
The philosophy of science basis of the claim of Marxism, and in the Soviet Union, Marxism-Leninism, to be a science is based its conceptions of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Although the influence of Marxist thought especially in the social sciences is great, there are no communities of theoretical or applied scientists or technicians based on Marxism. This contrasts with those for disciplines which do have established and credible claims to being theoretical sciences or engineering disciplines, the planning functions of the current communist states notwithstanding.
The most one could say is that socialism, e.g. Marxism, has, at least historically, been a current which finds expression in various scientific disciplines such as mathematical economics, sociology, etc. Socialism and Marxism are thus better described as theoretical frameworks for understanding and analyzing the social, economic and political world.
Read more about this topic: Scientific Socialism
Famous quotes containing the words critique of, critique, notion, socialism and/or science:
“Wagner’s art is the most sensational self-portrayal and self- critique of German nature that it is possible to conceive.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“Wagner’s art is the most sensational self-portrayal and self- critique of German nature that it is possible to conceive.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“When the object is perceived as particular and unique and not merely the member of a family, when it appears independent of any general notion and detached from the sanity of a cause, isolated and inexplicable in the light of ignorance, then and only then may it be a source of enchantment.”
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
“As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“For us necessity is not as of old an image without us, with whom we can do warfare; it is a magic web woven through and through us, like that magnetic system of which modern science speaks, penetrating us with a network subtler than our subtlest nerves, yet bearing in it the central forces of the world.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)