RE: BHA: Reality, existence, and the Santa Clause

[Colin Wight <Colin.Wight@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Erik,

Always nice to have newcomers contribute, even if it is only to chastise us.

It seems to me the whole debate, which you call ontological mumbo-jumbo, is
exactly about preserving the status of the sociological causal chain (which
of course we can all disagree about, but then I personally find total
agreement quite scary) of Santa as opposed to the attribution of a set of
causal powers that belong in one part of the social field, but may be in
danger of being located in another. Still, whatever, and certainly not in
anyway meant to hasten your disenchantment with the list, CR stresses the
importance of ontological speculation, because from a CR perspective the
move from an observed reality to a sociological explanation always already
embodies a set of ontological commitments.

BTW, this is an open list and if there are other concerns you wish to
raise, please do. The list is more than capable of debating more than one
issue at once. And just cos I get off on ontological matters doesn't mean
everybody else has to, but then again nor does it mean that I accept the
charge that idealist dispute about absence etc... Absences are real not ideal.

Thanks,


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Dr. Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales
Aberystwyth
Tel: (01970) 621769
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