The General Will

Is the will general? Is it corruptable?

Notes from Underground

"...we need only discover these laws of nature, and man will no loner have to answer for his own actions and will find it extremely easy to live. All human actions, it goes without saying, will then be tabulated according to these laws, mathematically, like tables of logarithms up to 108,000, and well be entered on a schedule; or even better, certain edifying works will be published, like out contemporary encyclopedic dictionaries, in which everything will be accurately calculated and specified so that there'll be no more actions or adventures left on earth."


What do you think about Dostoevsky's or the underground man's view on human nature? What do they believe; do you feel the same way?

REALISM

What do y'all think so far?

Reification/Commodification & Marxism

Comments or thoughts on Marxism or Marxist theories? How does reification or commodification limit our creativity and intrinsic power? Is Marx's/Berstein's dream a possibility in America? Is it a false prediction, or have we simply not exhausted capitalist possibilities?

"...taking men as they are and laws as they might be"

In his introduction to The Social Contract, Maurice Cranston discusses Rousseau's attempt to describe a form of government both ideal and realistic. Rousseau himself, in introducing his work, claims that "[his] purpose is to consider if, in political society, there can be any legitimate and sure principle of government, taking men as they are and laws as they might be" (49). To what extent, do you think, Rousseau works with those considerations? Which of his ideas could be realistically applied, and which are clearly formulated for an ideal society?

MoViE?!?!?

What do y'all think so far of the movie?
I've heard mixed reviews.

Dogs v.s. Cats

On a lighter note...

The Social Contract

"Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains."

i can haz art?

Since people seem to want to talk about art (myself included), this seemed like a decent idea.

Which do you prefer, the Neoclassic or the Romantic? Thoughts, questions, extended commentary? Any particular paintings of interest? Is David just a big ol' whore?

(And other more interesting questions.)

Enlightened and Disillusioned

Comments on the Enlightenment.