Critique of Dialectical Reason, Volume One

Book Description

At the height of the Algerian war, Jean-Paul Sartre embarked on a fundamental reappraisal of his philosophical and political thought. The result was the Critique of Dialectical Reason, an intellectual masterpiece of the twentieth century, now republished with a major original introduction by Fredric Jameson.

Here, Sartre began a new theory of history that he believed was necessary for postwar Marxism. His substantive concern was the structure of class struggle and the fate of the mass movements of popular revolt, from the French Revolution at the end of the eighteenth century to the Russian and Chinese revolutions in the twentieth.

Customer Reviews:

For Sartrists and Satirists.......2007-09-15

You must have read Being and Nothingness if you are considering this book so I won't describe Sartre's scholastic interest in preliminary formal considerations; as usual it takes up 3/4 of the total work. Sartre is also an imaginative writer, however, and his analyses of group terror, top-ten lists, and repectability (in vol 2) almost make up for it. I find Sartre's apparent devotion to Marxism troubling in an "objective" philosophical work, especially since the development of mass culuture has made Marx obsolete. In other words, I don't know why you would buy this book. It used to be tedious; now it's just interesting to specialists.

Sartre's last major philosophical work........2002-05-02

Seeking to give Marxism what Michael McGee called "a more rigorous intellectual defense," Sartre wrote volume one of Critique of Dialectical Reason (CDR) between 1957 & 1960; it was published in France in 1960. The first English edition appeared in 1976. A second, unfinished volume appeared posthumously in 1982.

CDR was a massive attempt to describe the dynamic of various levels of human interaction & what characterizes these levels, from a mere chance collection of people to the social entity we call an institution. The ultimate objective was to show why Marx's categorization of "class" as some kind of hyperorganism was wrong. Its thesis statement can be drawn from its thematic antecedent, Search for a Method: cultural order is irreducible to natural order.

In CDR, life was endless occasions of totalizations, detotalizations, & retotalizatons on a field of scarcity. These various totalizations were instances of human groupness, whether people waiting @the bus stop, a soccer team, or the "mob" storming the Bastille. We called the temporalization of events "history."

First half of the volume, or Book I, is devoted mainly to ennui-provoking explanation of the dialectical investigation: hidden there in a footnote was Sartre's curt dismissal of Darwinism. However, he got wound up in Book II & showed how task assignments, division of labor, & the institution came about.

I know of no other original study, treatise, or even novel that uses the themes & concepts of CDR. A CDR-oriented examination of, say, American domestic relations court proceedings (with its forced as opposed to mediated reciprocity) might be a worthy endeavor.

Critique of Dialectical Reason, Volume One.

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Critique of Dialectical Reason, Volume One.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Manufacturer: Sartre, Jean-Paul. Critique of Dialectical Reason, Volume One. Translated by Alan Sheridan-Smith. Edited by Jonathan Ree. Foreword by Fredric Jameson. NY: Verson, 2004. Quality paperback. 835pp. Near fine, text clean, tight and bright condition.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TAF9H0

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Critique of Dialectical Reason, Volume One.

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ICFDEI

Critique of Dialectical Reason: Theory of Practical Ensembles (Volume One)

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Critique of Dialectical Reason: Theory of Practical Ensembles (Volume One)

Manufacturer: NLB
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000G964C8

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The Best 'Reader' for AP World History Classes

Very good book for primary sources

Use as a textbook, but not for public consumption

Worlds of History Volume Two: A Comparative Reader: Since 1400
Kevin Reilly
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312446861

Customer Reviews:

The Best 'Reader' for AP World History Classes.......2007-06-11

There are half a dozen or more 'readers,' collections of primary sources and secondary articles, available for world history courses. A few are very good, but most are pretty much just collections of sources with little else to recommend them.

I've used five of these books in my classes over the past six years, and Reilly's "Worlds of History" is the one I prefer. Why?

It offers an excellent selection of useful primary sources from all eras and regions. Some are classics like the Code of Hammurabi. Others are unusual and interesting like descriptions of the court of Genghis Khan or eyewitness accounts of what Tenochtitlan (future Mexico City)looked like when the Spanish first arrived. Many of these accounts are fascinating. Equally importantly, the translations are good, modern translations unlike some sources in other readers which are older and out of date. The secondary accounts are judiciously chosen articles which add immensely useful points of view to the standard textbook story students will be reading.

Each new edition has removed a few readings (Not always poor ones and some I wish had remained), but those added have been excellent.

Reilly avoids the endlessly detailed introductory material of a few other readers which I've found detracts from the sources themselves. Often, a brief (half-page) introduction is all a student needs to a document. Reilly does include brief chapter introductions and chapter-ending thoughts which are useful. But, for the most part, the focus is clearly on the documents and articles themselves and not on the editor (Reilly) constantly "interrupting," which is refreshing, I find.

This two-volume reader is also attractive because it is smaller and more portable than most. The typeface is highly readable unlike in some other readers. All readings are numbered consecutively so they are easy to assign to students. There are one or two other readers which are good, but Reilly's "Worlds of History" is my clear favorite. And my students like it which says a lot.

Very good book for primary sources.......2003-10-04

I used this book for my AP World History course. I have to say that this book is very effective for the purpose. The book offers many primary sources from many different places. To help out with the understanding, it offers some review questions at the beginning of each primary source. It may be hard to read at times, but it is worth its weight in gold for all it offers.

Use as a textbook, but not for public consumption.......2002-03-21

I read this for a history course. It provides an acceptable overview of historical events. It is a collection of primary and secondary source materials from different sources so the narration lacks flow.

Worlds of History: A Comparative Reader, Volume Two: Since 1400

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Worlds of History: A Comparative Reader, Volume Two: Since 1400
Kevin Reilly
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MCAWS6

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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Gillings' errors and omissions
All I ever wanted to know about the mathematical papyri.

Mathematics in the Time of the Pharaohs
Richard J. Gillings
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Egypt | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 048624315X

Book Description

In this carefully researched study, the author examines Egyptian mathematics, demonstrating that although operations were limited in number, they were remarkably adaptable to a great many applications: solution of problems in direct and inverse proportion, linear equations of the first degree, and arithmetical and geometrical progressions.

Customer Reviews:

Gillings' errors and omissions.......2006-09-08

Gillings attempted to bring together all the known hieratic mathematical texts was well thought out. Even the Akhmim Wooden Tablet was mentioned as a footnote, though not analyzed in any section of his otherwise excellent book. Taken together all the Middle Kingdom math texts should be read as one document, one text checking the other for errors and omissions. In great part Gillings attempted to follow this rule.

Exceptions lie in reporting of several texts, or aspects of texts, as individual documents. Three of the texts are the Egyptian Mathematical Leather Roll, the Reisner Papyri and the RMP. All three texts are fully reported by Gillings, though seemingly minor oversights became major oversights when each oversight is placed in the context within the great whole of scribal mathemetics.

Concering the EMLR, Gillings' oversight consisted of four of the 26 lines of texts, only reporting them as additive in scope, as were the other 22 lines. Actually a higher form of abstract arithmetic should have been discussed as potentially present.

The Reisner Papyri was discussed as containing quotients, which it does. Gillings' oversight was not mentioning the remainders that filled the scribal overseer notes from a construction site where daily worker digging rates were measured in units of 10. Hence all of the digging rates were divided by 10, and were reported by the scribe as quotient and remainder totals, a remainder arithmetic fact that escaped Gillings analysis. One scribal error was corrected by Gillings, properly listing a quotient and remainder; however, the proper modern name for the ancient arithmetic was not potentiallly commented upon by Gillings.

Finally, throughout the RMP quotients and remainders fill the document for almost every division and subtraction that Ahmes reported in his 84 problems. Yet, again, only quotients are mentioned, from time to time, with the remainder aspect of Egyptian fractions often being the major component not being commented upon. A clear example of Gillings' oversight is cited on page 250 "Horus-Eye fractions in terms of hin", where 29 divisions of a hekat, a volume unit, were divided by rational numbers in the range 1/64 to 64, with each answer written down as quotients and remainders. All of the two-part statements were created from the hekat unity, (64/64), being divided by a divisor n, or: (64/64)/n = Q/64 + (R5/n)*1/320, with Q the quotient and R the remainder. As a passing comment, Gillings also missed Ahmes' hin rule, 1/10 of the hekat, creating a one-part number by using 10/n hin, as listed 29 in the table, the additive context in which Gillings incorrectly reported the totality of the table.

Returning the the Akhmim Wooden Tablet, it also reported in vivid terms, the hekat unity (64/64) division by 3, 7, 10, 11 and 13, using quotients and remainders, an abstract form of arithmetic, as used in the EMlR. G. Daressy first reported aspects of these facts to the world in 1906. Yet, Gillings cited none of Daressy' ground breaking work. (Note that Daressy's incomplete analysis was finally corected in 2002 by a Charles U., Prague, graduate student.)

In summary, Gillings' main 1972 point: that Egyptian mathematics must be revisited and updated is true. One day Gillings and other math historians will take up the 1972 challenge and complete the reading of all the hieratic texts as one body of knowledge, as the Charles University grad student has done. The only question is when.

All I ever wanted to know about the mathematical papyri........1999-11-10

The Rhind, Moscow, and other important mathematical papyri decoded in every detail. A sweeping tour through the ancient Egyptian methods of calculation, parts of which are still used today in computer code! In his well-written account, Mr. Gillings makes it very clear that the common view on ancient Egyptian mathematics as 'rather primitive' is definitely to be revised. Provided with a few basic tools, the scribes of the epoch were able to carry out very complicated computations indeed, at times involving several different units. Their rough-and-ready estimate of pi was off by only 0.6 percent as compared to the correct value. The author presents a rich variety of calculated examples and explains the logic behind them. Earlier researchers in the field are commented.

Book Description

Sustainability Strategies for Industry contains essays by members of the Greening of Industry Network that examine the emerging picture of sustainability and its implications for industry and for the relationship between industry and other social actors-consumers, employees, and the community at large. The book seeks to define sustainability in an industrial context, and addresses how the shift to sustainaibility will affect the role of industry in society, its managerial functions, and its relationships with stakeholders and the environment.

An introductory chapter establishes the scope of the book and its contents, sets out the historical context, and explores the unifying concepts and themes running through the text. Chapters examine.

the meaning of sustainability for industry from a theoretical stance

corporate environmentalism

company paradigms

technology

reporting and management systems

the role of networks and systems

developing country perspectives

implications for business research and management educatio.

Contributors-including Thomas Gladwin, Richard Welford, Andrew Hoffman, John Ehrenfeld, David Pearce, and others-offer a bold vision of the sustainable industrial organization of the future and the role and approach that managers in sustainable organizations will assume.

Sustainability Strategies for Industry represents an important work for those interested in the relationship between sustainability and environmental management and protection, and for those interested in the future direction of industrial organization. It will be a valuable text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in business and economics, as well as in environmental studies programs, and for researchers interested in business strategy and interactions between business practice and the environment.

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