Re: Rorty on socialism

["Alan G. Isaac" <aisaac@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Colin Danby wrote:

> Even granting that this essay is 8 years old it's unoriginal, and
> loosely argued.

In my experience Rorty always deserves a charitable reading,
even when I disagree with him. I think there is an argument in
there; it's not just the rehashed Fukayama a careless reading
might suggest. Harry picked the right quote to focus on.


> How many Leninists are left?

Well, according to Henry . . .


> Is there any dead horse Rorty leaves
> unflogged?  He ignores the critical work within the broad Marxian
> tradition that opposes totalizing thought, both analytically and
> politically.

Don't presume that (a bad presumption with Rorty).
For myself, I find remarkable resonances with
Derrida's _Spectres of Marx_ (to the extent that you
can get Derrida to stop playing hide-and-seek with
language, and once you get past the obligatory
homages).

Anyway, I thought you'd enjoy it.

Alan