[Xmca-l] Re: The Russian Spinozists

[HENRY SHONERD]

I’m with Annalisa. I would like to hear from anyone else who has been bitten by the Spinoza bug. Spinoza and Vygtosky rhyme with each other. Spinoza was an excommunicated Jew, died at 44, of T.B. I’ve heard Spinoza challenged Descartes right as the Enlightenment was getting started. Hegel is supposed to have said, “You’re either a Spinozist or you aren’t a philosopher.” I know this has been discussed lately on the CHAT and readings on Spinoza have been proffered. It’s late. zzzzzzzz.
Henry


> On Jul 6, 2015, at 10:25 PM, Annalisa Aguilar <annalisa@unm.edu> wrote:
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> Hello esteemed others!
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> I just got my hands on this Maidansky paper (2003) On the Russian Spinozists, and I'm very intrigued by this paper.
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> (mike) I actually used the google search box on the lchc homepage to see if anyone had already commented upon it, and I see that the fine screen of CHATers did catch this moth to the flame.
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> Unfortunately, a link that had been posted to more English translations has gone 404, so I was also wondering about other work by Maidansky that anyone might recommend.
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> Yes. I confess I'm on a Spinoza kick now, what can I say?
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> It seemed a problem to me (and I apologize if I'm lighting a fuse here), that he was equating Vygotsky with activity theory. But I presume that that is how Vygotsky is known in Russia? As the father of AT? I wasn't sure.
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> Then, I was also curious about the connection of Vygotsky and Spinoza, and how Spinoza has been rebranded "Marx without a beard," which seemed weird to me. I'd have said Marx was "Spinoza with a beard" (and then some), just because of the chronology of history.
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> But OK, not meaning to kickstart a controversy here on the list.
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> I also consider that Spinoza is misunderstood when he is branded an atheist, and that his philosophy has been appropriated incorrectly, which is too bad.
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> It's a deep philosophical argument I'm considering that requires careful unfolding. I haven't done it yet, but I think I shall.
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> Kind regards,
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> Annalisa
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>