Like how the do you “do” historical materialism? Or dialectical materialism? How the fuck do I look at a problem and then apply this method? What are the steps? Why is it so difficult to learn left theory? I feel like I have to fight people to learn because the first thing anyone will do is throw jargon at me. Like imagine you're trying to learn physics and everyone says you start by reading Einstein as if a beginner would even be able to understand what Einstein is saying, who he is responding to, what the concepts in his work are.

At some point once you think you understand a concept you actually try your hand at it. If you're studying calculus you'll do a bunch of problem sets and that actually helps you understand what it is that you're doing, how mistakes happen, and how to get better. How do I practice this skill? Every suggestion I see basically amounts to: read lots of stuff. And I don't see how this is different than just being a lib and reading a bunch of stuff and popping off with hot takes

Edit: kind of confused that there are lots of responses but no answer.

  • a_blanqui_slate [none/use name, any]
    ·
    4 years ago

    The only reason I said anything about formal logic is that it’s a gateway into philosophy. Having someone with little to know experience with philosophy jump straight into dialectical materialism by reading Marx sounds like it would turn off the average person. But if they’re someone who’s has dabbled in logic and other philosophy, then the prose of technical philosophical works might go down easier. It’s not that I’m saying formal logic is the foundation to DM.

    It's a gateway into a specific type of philosophy, namely logic. Someone who takes Formal Logic I and II would probably have a harder time with dialectical materialism that someone who hasn't taken any philosophy courses, because of all the stuff they would have to unlearn. They'd be much better off reading about German idealism.