I wouldn’t tell your grandma she’s not catholic but the church just might.
So what?
The conception of religion as a purely individual choice is a very bourgeoise and radical concept that does not reflect the way the vast majority of the world actually practices religion.
I mean sure, when you choose to model everyone's religion the way you have, it definitely looks like the vast majority of the world doesn't practice religion as a different model would describe, but that's a function of your model, not reality.
In short, asking questions in a materialist framework guarantees materialist answers.
I think you can absolutely use material conditions to model the role of religion in society. The problem comes in asserting that that model is the only one that accurately describes reality. I don't think that's been demonstrated.
if you don’t think materialism is the best and effectively the only way to analyze society and come to conclusions and decisions on how and why to change it, why are you a socialist?
Because of foundational moral axioms regarding the ethical treatment of human beings. This notion of socialism as a purely materialist endeavor has always struck me as a bit silly, because materialism is non-normative. Someone could read a huge amount of materialist theory, ascribe to the conclusions intellectually, and still decide to be a rip-roaring exploitative capitalist.
And what other model would you say is as or more valid?
I think find instrumentalism/pragmatism comports with my framework better, but I don't begrudge anyone their choice of materialism.
Someone could read a huge amount of materialist theory, ascribe to the conclusions intellectually, and still decide to be a rip-roaring exploitative capitalist.
So what?
I mean sure, when you choose to model everyone's religion the way you have, it definitely looks like the vast majority of the world doesn't practice religion as a different model would describe, but that's a function of your model, not reality.
In short, asking questions in a materialist framework guarantees materialist answers.
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I think you can absolutely use material conditions to model the role of religion in society. The problem comes in asserting that that model is the only one that accurately describes reality. I don't think that's been demonstrated.
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Because of foundational moral axioms regarding the ethical treatment of human beings. This notion of socialism as a purely materialist endeavor has always struck me as a bit silly, because materialism is non-normative. Someone could read a huge amount of materialist theory, ascribe to the conclusions intellectually, and still decide to be a rip-roaring exploitative capitalist.
I think find instrumentalism/pragmatism comports with my framework better, but I don't begrudge anyone their choice of materialism.
Is La Rouche a good example?
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