Title:
Dialectic as method
Subtitle:
the reduction of dialectic by Marx
Author(s):
Kaufmann, Götz
Year of publication:
2012
Available Date:
2012-02-28T14:57:04.782Z
Abstract:
Methods of theory building are rare in science. Particularly in social
sciences, the competition between qualitative and quantitative schools has
always been prevalent, even in discussing theory building. Another method that
has been neglected for decades, even though its application is discussed the
most of all social science’s classics , is Dialectic Materialism (DiaMat) as
method of theory building. The DiaMat has been developed by Karl Marx, adopted
by a wide range of Marxist theorists and broadly discussed and criticized in
its epistemological function by scientists all over the world. Its
fruitfulness and usefulness for social theory building will be outlined here
and it will be demonstrated that the method is not yet complete. In
identifying the gap, this paper aims to both give a state of the art at a new
methodological frontier and reveal crucial points on which further method
debate should focus.
Keywords:
Marx, Karl
subjective dialectic
theory building
method
fetishism of commodity
value form
exchange process
exchange structure
emphatic dialectic
logic
DDC-Classification:
300 Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie
160 Logik
Publication Type:
Arbeitspapier
Also published in:
Presented at PhD Workshop, School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental
Studies (SAGES) / University of Melbourne (2007)
Department/institution:
Politik- und Sozialwissenschaften
Comments:
The paper bases to great extent on the work of Prof. Göhler's habilitation
(1980). It is published after being critically reviewed by Prof. Göhler and
with his acceptance. Here, I want to express my gratefulness for his help and
contribution.
Series/Multivolume:
Methods of field research
Series/Multivolume Number:
1
