Bulletin N° 613
Subject: ON CHANGE FROM THE BOTTOM-UP.
24 May 2014
Grenoble, France
Dear
Colleagues and Friends of CEIMSA,
The New Science is a subject
that has been much discussed (and often forgotten) in our daily lives. It is still
common to hear Ph.D. students indulge in a modern day form of scholasticism, using the deductive techniques of logic to defend their faith in an increasingly discredited system, as if all scientific discoveries had ceased since the seventeenth century, with the works of Descartes (b.1596)
and Newton (b. 1643).
The
fallacies and implicit authoritarianism imbedded in such traditional uses of science and
mathematics have been subject to a multitude of radical examinations in twentieth-century
western social studies. Fritjof Capra,
author of The Web of Life (1996), has been for many years
at the forefront of popularizing the scientific revolution and offering self-conscious radical critiques of traditional scientific dogmas which deliberately alienate objects of study from their social context and the scientist him/herself, as well. “During this
century,” writes Capra,
the
change from the mechanistic to the ecological paradigm has proceeded in
different forms and at different speeds in the various scientific fields. It is
not a steady change. It involves scientific revolutions, backlashes, and
pendulum swings. A chaotic pendulum in the sense of chaos theory –oscillations
that almost repeat themselves but not quite, seemingly random and yet forming a
complex, highly organized pattern—would perhaps be the most appropriate
contemporary metaphor.
The basic tension is one between the parts and
the whole. The emphasis on the parts has been called mechanistic, reductionist,
or atomistic; the emphasis on the whole holistic, organismic,
or ecological. In twentieth-century science the holistic perspective has become
known as ‘systemic’ and the way of thinking it implies as ‘systems
thinking’. . . .
The main characteristic of systems thinking
emerged simultaneously in several disciplines during the first half of the
century, especially during the 1920s. Systems thinking was
pioneered by biologists, who emphasized the view of living organisms as
integrated wholes. . . . (p.17)
The
same social concerns have been taken up by radical mathematicians, who also insisted
that science is no more and no less than a cultural expression, which must not
be mystified in the interests of ruling-class domination. Jean Coulardeau,
in his thought-provoking piece, “Contenu idéologique des mathématiques”
[published in the 10/18 French anthology,
Pourquoi la mathématique? (1974),
and edited by Robert Jaulin], writes about ‘the
colonial character of mathematics’ :
La langue mathématique, comme la science en général, tend
à devenir universel et ne tient donc plus compte des
différences culturelles, mais seulement de l’efficacité. (p.138)
Le langue mathématique est une vaste normalisation de
l’expression et de la pensée. Particulièrement hypocrite, il se prétend neutre,
intemporel, universel et vérité scientifique. Il se veut même la science des
sciences et entend donc s’imposer avec plus de vigueur . . . et plus
d’intolérance. (p.140)
Peut-on
faire des mathématiques sans coloniser ?
Ma réponse, on
s’en doute, est négative. Certains m’ont fait valoir que rien n’empêchait
quelqu’un de faire des mathématiques chez lui et qu’il n’était pas pour cela un
colon.
C’est vrai, mais
ils oublient trois choses :
1° Que pour faire
des mathématiques il a fallu qu’ils les apprennent, donc qu’ils trouvent une
structure enseignante et sélective typique à notre société ;
2° Qu’ils
n’auront aucun goût à faire des mathématiques dans une société qui s’en moquera
et n’en tiendra aucun compte ;
3° Qu’ils seront
toujours tentés de faire valoir leurs solutions au noms
de l’efficacité et qu’ils finiront par les imposer au nom du bien public.
La pensée
mathématique est, répétons-le, une manière de saisir le réel qui ne se marie
pas avec toutes les civilisations. J’ai déjà expliqué comment la numération
n’était concevable que dans une société de grands ensembles. Remarquons aussi
qu’il y faut le désir de communiquer. Aujourd’hui, nous nous considérons comme
diminués si nous ne connaissons pas la population de n’importe quelle ville du
globe. Cela ne nous sert à rien mais a nécessité pour l’établir et le répandre
un inventaire et une normalisation internationale de l’expression.
Participer à ces
mathématiques qui mettent en carte et à nu notre via n’est pas un acte
idéologiquement neutre. Et comme notre idéologie est expansionniste et
coloniale, les mathématiques qui la servent ne sont pas différentes. . . . (pp.140-141)
La redécouvert des
autres et de la collaboration
constructive permettra de faire réapparaître l’affectivité qui a disparu au
profit de l’efficacité.
Les solutions
scientifiques ne peuvent pas ne pas simplifier le réel pour s’appliquer au
grand nombre . Il faut donc renoncer à cela été, par
conséquent, renouer avec le réel , mais aussi renoncer
aux solutions universelles. Actuellement, la réalité s’adapte ‘les hommes se
plient). La liberté est dans le contraire. Comment les mathématiques ne se
plieront jamais, il faut renoncer soit aux mathématiques, soit à la liberté.(p.146)
More
recently, the critique of essentialism
in the social sciences, of reductive thinking --which ruthlessly excludes
“irrelevant” considerations in a single-minded search for a proof and which has
undoubtedly affected our perceptions,
now reduced by training to “powers of observation” (i.e. we see what we want to
see, in order to defend a theorem, often
to the detriment of life around us.) — offers a condemnation of tunnel vision. This critique stands as one of
the organizing principles of The New Science in opposition to "the paranoid fascist discourse," analyzed by Gilles Deleuzes in his influential book, L'ANTI-OEDIPE : Capitalisme et schizophrénie (1972).
The
11 items below offer CEIMSA readers separate slices from life. They are
by definition distortions, but nevertheless can serve as partial descriptions,
and readers are encouraged to look at these events systemically, as elements of a larger whole, a global dynamic to
which the lives of each of us is connected, and, we must add, mediated by our
social class interests, and by other less dominant factors, like race, gender,
religion, nationality, etc….
Item
A.,
is a talk about Real History by Michael Parenti, debunking orthodox
interpretations of history.
Item
B.,
from the New York Times, is a
article on the possible disintegration of Ukraine.
Item C., from Grenoble Professor emeritus
Roland Borrelly,
on Ukraine from the Russian point of view.
Item
D.,
from Information
Clearing House, is follow-up investigative report on the Odessa massacre and who was behind
it.
Item
E.,
from The Financial Times of London, is an article by Roula Khalaf and Roman Olearchyk
on anti-Russian Oligarchs offering to pay bounties in Dnipropetrovsk
to target pro-Russian Ukranians.
Item
F.,
from MoveOn, is a call
by Mark Crain for mass mobilization
against The Real Death Panel now
operating in the United States.
Item
G., from Jim O’Brien of Historians
Against War, is a series of recommended recent
articles.
Item
H.,
from Democracy Now !, is another documentary news report on
the imminent catastrophe of Climate
Change which is now being experienced in the United States.
Item
I.,
from Information
Clearing House, is an article by Paul Craig Roberts on US
financial hegemony as history.
Item
J.,
from Truth Out, is an article by Tom Engelhardt, on climate change as a weapon of mass destruction.
Item
K.,
from Information
Clearing House, is an article by Immanuel Wallerstein on Bottom-Up Politics in
World Crises.
And
finally, we invite CEIMSA readers to take a look at a recent series of short
films attempting to interpret US history through the lens of social class
struggles:
Imperial Decay
"Like so many Empires before it, America bid too high for world dominion,
and lost."
Video
posted on 14 May 2014
Center for the Advanced Study of
American Institutions and Social Movements
The University of California-San
Diego
http://dimension.ucsd.edu/CEIMSA-IN-EXILE/
_______________
A.
From Michael Parenti :
Dates: 1 January 2011
Subject : Nazism could have been defeated before the War.
http://www.michaelparenti.org/
"Truth would quickly cease to
become stranger than fiction, once we got as used to it"
- H.L. Mencken
Real History is a four-part lecture series :
part 1: the Myth of the Founding Fathers
part 2: the Spanish American War and the Rise of US Imperialism
part 3: the Functions of Fascism
part 4: the Real Causes of World War II
The Real Causes
of World War II (1 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Lievywdoo
_______________
B.
From The New York Times :
Dates: 10 May 2014
Subject : Russian president traveled to Sevastopol to celebrate victory over Nazi Germany.
http://www.nytimes.com/
After
Chaotic Autonomy Votes, Negotiations Could Be Sole Path to Prevent Ukraine’s
Disintegration
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/5/12/after_chaotic_autonomy_votes_negotiations_could
_______________
C.
From Roland Borrelly :
Dates: 11 May 2014
Subject : Ukraine : le point de vue Russe.
Merci Francis
pour la vidéo sur l’Ukraine. En échange voici un bel exposé du point de vue
russe qu’on ne trouve pas non plus dans les journaux français !
Amitiés
Battleground
Ukraine: A Comprehensive Summary (From A Russian
Perspective)
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-04-30/battleground-ukraine-comprehensive-summary-russian-perspective
_______________
D.
From Information Clearing House :
Dates: 26 April 2014
Subject : The US Grand Strategy in Eurasia.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/
Bloodbath in Odessa Guided by Interim
Rulers of Ukraine
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article38517.htm
by Antifascist
_______________
E.
From The Financial Times :
Dates: 16 May 2014
Subject : Paying Bounties to target pro-Russian Ukrainians.
http://www.ft.com/
The blue shield and gold trident painted on the façade of
an imposing building on the banks of the Dnipro river depict Ukraine’s national symbol, and are a reminder
that the eastern city of Dnipropetrovsk has chosen
its allegiance.
Ukraine governor offers bounties to keep separatists at
bay
by Roula Khalaf
and Roman Olearchyk in Dnipropetrovsk
_______________
F.
From MoveOn :
Dates: 22 May 2014
Subject : A Real Death Panel.
http://www.moveon.org/
Dear MoveOn member,
Sarah Palin's
catchy line about the Affordable Care Act creating "death panels" to
determine which sick people were "worthy of health care" was rated PolitiFact's 2009 "Lie of the Year."1
But as history would have it, Palin may have been partially right after all.
There is, in fact, a death panel—but this one's made up of the Republican
governors blocking 5 million people from access to health care through
Medicaid.
Tuesday, MoveOn members came right to the front door of New York
City's Waldorf Astoria hotel—where Republican governors were meeting with major
corporate donors—and held a mock meeting of the Republican Death Panel. They read stories from MoveOn members in
Texas, North Carolina, and other states affected by the Medicaid Blockade, and
from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. MoveOn's mobile billboard
drove through midtown Manhattan alerting hundreds of thousands of people to the
fact that we've found the real death panel.
Take a look
at some of the highlights, then click here to sign up
for next week's monthly Medicaid call.
By denying life-saving health care access to vulnerable citizens in 21
states, Republican governors have formed their own de facto death panel—and by one
estimate, their negligence could kill as many as 17,000 people each year.2
But their heartless governing is backfiring politically.
Medicaid is becoming an increasingly important issue for this November's
election. Embattled Democrats are starting to use it to their
advantage, and in places like Florida, Republican governors are finding it
harder and harder to find support for their backward, anti-Obamacare
rhetoric.3
We've got to keep up the momentum—and that's why MoveOn
members are joining a call next Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET to plan for next steps
in our national campaign.
We'll talk about races to watch this fall that could be affected by the
Medicaid Blockade, hear from a special guest whose work was instrumental in
passing the Affordable Care Act (hint: she's a nun), and we'll announce a new
program to help members running campaigns in their own states.
If you care about increasing access to health care, then this is one call
not to miss.
Click here if you can join
next Wednesday's call to plan for an end to the Republican Medicaid Blockade.
Thanks for all you do.
–Mark, Nick, Stephen, Jo, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "PolitiFact's Lie of the Year: 'Death
panels,'" PolitiFact, December 18, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=298322&id=96058-2028234-a1vP1Nx&t=4
2. "Opting Out Of Medicaid Expansion: The
Health And Financial Impacts," Health Affairs Blog, January 30, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=298220&id=96058-2028234-a1vP1Nx&t=5
3. "Ed calls on GOP Governors to take the Senior Challenge,"
The Ed Show, May 1, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=298391&id=96058-2028234-a1vP1Nx&t=6
_______________
G.
From Historians Against the War :
Dates: 16 May 2014
Subject : [haw-info] HAW Notes 5/7/14: Links to recent articles of interest
http://www.historiansagainstwar.org
Links to Recent Articles of Interest
"The U.S. Military's New Normal in Africa"
By Nick Turse, TomDispatch.com, posted May 15
A survey of
the Pentagon's African presence with lessons from the recent past
"How NATO Jabs Russia on Ukraine"
By Ray McGovern, Consortium News, posted May 15
Chiefly on the history of NATO expansion in the 1990s, by a former
analyst in the Soviet Foreign Policy branch
By Glenn
Greenwald, TomDispatch.com, posted May 13, 2014
This is a
condensed version of Chapter 1 of the author’s just-released book on Edward
Snowden.
"Whose Advice Should You Trust on Ukraine?"
By Walter G. Moss, History News
Network, posted May 11
The author is a professor of history
emeritus at Eastern Michigan University.
"What You Need to Tell People When They Say We Should
Use the Military"
By Lawrence S. Wittner,
History News Network, posted May 11
The author is a professor of history
emeritus at SUNY Albany.
By Anatol Lieven, New
York Review of Books, posted May 8
"Former Israeli Nuclear Head: No Iran Bomb for Ten
Years – If They Even Want It"
By Trita Parsi, The
National Interest, posted May 8
"Washington's Pivot to Ignorance: Will the State
Department Torpedo Its Last Great Program?"
By Ann Jones,
TomDispatch.com, posted May 8
On the
attempted gutting of the Fulbright exchange scholars program
By Bruno Janti, Portside.org, posted May 5
(originally in Le Monde Diplomatique)
A short article emphasizing noncombatant deaths
"Peace Between Unequal
Parties"
By Andrew J. Bacevich, Boston Globe, posted
May 5
The author teaches history and international relations at Boston
University. The article concerns US policy toward Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations.
Thanks to Steve Gosch, Rosalyn Baxandall, and an anonymous reader for suggesting articles
include above. Suggestions can be sent to jimobrien48@gmail.com.
and
Another $600.7 Billion for the Pentagon! But Who Is Counting?
Another year gone by when schools,
hospitals, day care centers, food stamps and other valuable services have been
cut for lack of federal money. And despite the chatter about a lean military
budget, the House of Representatives will be voting next week on the 2015
National Defense Authorization act (NDAA), which authorizes $521 for national
defense and $79.9 billion as a placeholder for Overseas Contingency Operations.
That’s $79.9 billion theoretically available for a US military presence in
Afghanistan, once there is an agreement with the Afghan government.
The NDAA is a policy bill, which
specifies how the money will be used. There are billions allocated for
unnecessary weapons systems, for modernization of the nuclear arsenal, for
missile defense in Poland. There are fresh limitations on cooperation with
Russia, and new conditions for a nuclear agreement with Iran. A host of
miserable policies rolled into one piece of legislation. For a more
specific summary of the contents see Council for a Livable World http://blog.livableworld.org/story/2014/5/9/12541/69564.
One bright spot is
that Congresswoman Barbara Lee, will be introducing an amendment that
would rescind the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force, which
(as she so wisely predicted 13 years ago) has been the basis for endless wars,
drones, Special Ops, warrantless surveillance and wiretapping.
You can help by
calling your Congressional Representative and letting him or her know its time to bring the troops home from Afghanistan, rescind
the Authorization of the Use of Military Force (AUMF) and to vote NO on another
$600 billion of wasteful Pentagon spending
US Capitol
Switchboard : (202)
224-3121
If you get information about how your representative
is planning to vote, please send to Carolyn.Eisenberg@hofstra.edu
_______________
H.
From Democracy Now ! :
Dates: 7 May 2014
Subject : Climate Change, the imminent catastrophe.
http://www.democracynow.org/
Foretelling Devastating Impact, Will White House
Climate Report Spark Action on Global Warming?
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/5/7/foretelling_devastating_impact_will_white_house
_______________
I.
From ICH :
Dates: 22 May 2014
Subject : U.S. Financial Hegemony, en passé simple.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/
This large energy deal will be
conducted outside the dollar system, so here is the beginning of the
de-dollarization, the beginning of the de-Americanization.
'World Moving Away From American Financial Hegemony'
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article38579.htm
by Paul Craig Roberts
_______________
J.
From Truth Out :
Dates: 22 May 2014
Subject : Climate Change as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.
http://www.truth-out.org/
The 95 Percent Doctrine: Climate Change as a Weapon
of Mass Destruction
_______________
K.
From
Information Clearing House :
Dates: 8 May 2014
Subject: Bottom-Up Politics.
As our existing historical system is
in the process of dying, there is a fierce struggle over what kind of new
historical system will succeed it.
Bottom-Up
Politics in World Crises
Establishment Elites Are no Longer in Control
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article38584.htm
by Immanuel Wallerstein