Intellectual history is rewritten every time there is a significant shift in political and economic power.
1/n
1/n
Voltaire and other 18th century writers took it upon themselves to rewrite recent scientific history. They elevated Galileo and Newton while downplaying the credit both of these thinkers gave to Hellenistic predecessors.
2/n
2/n
Rather than triumphant adherents of a revived tradition of knowledge, Galileo and Newton's breakthroughs were recast as triumphs of pure individual reason.
They of course are also such triumphs, but Newton had good reason to insist he stood on the shoulders of giants.
3/n
They of course are also such triumphs, but Newton had good reason to insist he stood on the shoulders of giants.
3/n
These arguments could be wielded for a massive reformation of society along a new model, freed from the need of epistemic humility. The political usefulness of epistemological flavored rhetoric triumphed over good history.
4/n
4/n
A recent example is the intellectual legacy of Marxism
Much of the intellectual history of the cold war is a now hidden scramble by key thinkers in the West to come up with alternatives to Marxism.
Western intellectuals considered themselves a social science backwater.
5/n
Much of the intellectual history of the cold war is a now hidden scramble by key thinkers in the West to come up with alternatives to Marxism.
Western intellectuals considered themselves a social science backwater.
5/n
Ordinary language philosophy, a revival of utilitarian ethics, and abstract expressionism were all side effects of this effort.
6/n
6/n
The important tell is that many of the most important anti-Communist thinkers, were before WW2 communists!
And their arguments use dialectical materialism to make arguments.
7/n
And their arguments use dialectical materialism to make arguments.
7/n
If you've read about the role of agriculture in the origin of civilization, you're likely reading a variant of Oriental Despotism.
A theory developed to give materialist explanations of Western evaluations of conditions in the USSR and PRC!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_…
8/n
A theory developed to give materialist explanations of Western evaluations of conditions in the USSR and PRC!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_…
8/n
Because of intellectual history follows power, I think our current explanation of China's rise to power 'China is engaged in rebranded capitalism!' is going to be replaced by 'China perfected socialist development.' as Western hegemony recedes.
9/n
9/n
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