Re: quick question

[Eubulides <paraconsistent@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Devine, James" <jdevine@xxxxxxx>


While it's true that abstract concepts such as mercantilism can "give a
false unity to disparate events, to conceal the close up reality of
particular times and particular circumstances..." that doesn't mean that
the use of such concepts _always and everywhere_ leads to such confusion,
excessive abstraction, or reification. We shouldn't give in to the
abstract drive to reject abstractions.

===================

My guess is that Cole was attempting to assert that we shouldn't say that
those policymakers/powerholders from the 16-early 18th centuries saw
themselves as mercantilists pursuing mercantilist policies.

Ian