Emergentist Marxism : a materialistic application of realism in the social sciences
This thesis will be concerned with articulating and defending a form of realist social theory entitled ~emergentist Marxism~. As such its principal objective is less to investigate or review the voluminous literature on ~social realism~ and more to show the ways in which Marxian social theory can be legitimately ~constructed~ as a specific ~materialistic~ application of ontological and methodological realism in the human sciences. The significance of this research is that it functions simultaneously as a contribution to the social science component of Roy Bhaskar's philosophical realism and as a Marxist commentary upon and perhaps intervention against it. The latter is less certain, however, because Bhaskar's depth realism appears to be consistent with the form of anti-reductive materialism defended here. ~Realism~ or ~emergentism~ refers to an ontological position denoting a stratified social world of irreducible levels, of which persons, practices and structures are the most fundamental, all of which are efficacious by virtue of the properties and powers which pertain to each of them. ~Materialism~ denotes the ontological position that the material structures of social systems vertically explain social and
Creaven, Sean
HM Sociology ; HX Socialism. Communism. Anarchism
Emergentist Marxism : a materialistic application of realism in the social sciences. This thesis will be concerned with articulating and defending a form of realist social theory entitled ~emergentist Marxism~. As such its principal objective is less to investigate or review the voluminous literature on ~social realism~ and more to show the ways in which Marxian social theory can be legitimately ~constructed~ as a specific ~materialistic~ application of ontological and methodological realism in the human sciences. The significance of this research is that it functions simultaneously as a contribution to the social science component of Roy Bhaskar's philosophical realism and as a Marxist commentary upon and perhaps intervention against it. The latter is less certain, however, because Bhaskar's depth realism appears to be consistent with the form of anti-reductive materialism defended here. ~Realism~ or ~emergentism~ refers to an ontological position denoting a stratified social world of irreducible levels, of which persons, practices and structures are the most fundamental, all of which are efficacious by virtue of the properties and powers which pertain to each of them. ~Materialism~ denotes the ontological position that the material structures of social systems vertically explain social and
marxism materialistic application realism social_sciences concerned articulate defend form realist social_theory entitle marxism principal objective less investigate review literature social realism show_way marxian social_theory legitimately constructed specific materialistic application ontological methodological realism human science significance function simultaneously social_science component philosophical realism marxist commentary_upon perhaps intervention latter less certain however depth realism appear consistent form anti reductive materialism defend here realism refers ontological position denote stratify social_world irreducible level person practice structure fundamental efficacious virtue property power pertain them materialism denote ontological position material structure social_system explain social