The ground of 'speculative politics' and the critique of the moral standpoint
Speculative politics is a method of interaction based on Hegel's concept of Science (<I>Wissenschaft</I>), as explained primarily in the <I>Phenomenology of Spirit</I> and the <I>Science of Logic</I>. It is a method based on <I>the unity of opposites</I>, or the category of <I>becoming</I>, and is the only alternative to either modernism's 'politics of identity', or postmodernism's 'politics of difference'. Both of these latter forms of politics are in fact manifestations of 'abstract power', or its modern version, 'the moral standpoint'. The moral standpoint is basically the result of the application of Aristotle's fundamental laws of thought and Cartesian dualism to our social, political and economic life, with the ultimate consequence being an ever expanding cycle of denial and annihilation in both theory and practice. Speculative politics, on the other hand, by grounding itself on the principle of <I>becoming</I>, and recognizing the essentiality of logic, especially in and to politics, offers the real possibility of overcoming the abstract power of the moral standpoint, without simply denying, or annihilating the concept of power in itself. This is because the method of transcendence put forth by Hegel
Mahoney, Robert
The ground of 'speculative politics' and the critique of the moral standpoint. Speculative politics is a method of interaction based on Hegel's concept of Science (<I>Wissenschaft</I>), as explained primarily in the <I>Phenomenology of Spirit</I> and the <I>Science of Logic</I>. It is a method based on <I>the unity of opposites</I>, or the category of <I>becoming</I>, and is the only alternative to either modernism's 'politics of identity', or postmodernism's 'politics of difference'. Both of these latter forms of politics are in fact manifestations of 'abstract power', or its modern version, 'the moral standpoint'. The moral standpoint is basically the result of the application of Aristotle's fundamental laws of thought and Cartesian dualism to our social, political and economic life, with the ultimate consequence being an ever expanding cycle of denial and annihilation in both theory and practice. Speculative politics, on the other hand, by grounding itself on the principle of <I>becoming</I>, and recognizing the essentiality of logic, especially in and to politics, offers the real possibility of overcoming the abstract power of the moral standpoint, without simply denying, or annihilating the concept of power in itself. This is because the method of transcendence put forth by Hegel
ground speculative politics critique moral standpoint speculative politics method interaction base hegel concept science explain primarily phenomenology spirit science logic method base unity opposite category become alternative either modernism politics identity postmodernism politics difference latter form politics fact manifestation abstract power modern version the moral standpoint moral standpoint basically application aristotle fundamental law think cartesian dualism social_political_economic life ultimate consequence ever expand cycle denial annihilation theory_practice speculative politics hand ground principle become recognize logic especially politics offer real possibility overcome abstract power moral standpoint without simply deny concept power itself method transcendence put_forth hegel