Customer Reviews

Philosophy and the Spontaneous Philosophy of the Scientists: And Other Essays

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Considering the obscurity of this work, those who have found this review probably already know what they are looking for. I would add that it is worth the hunt.

The titular essay is the real reason to find this volume -- for the serious student of Althusser and Marxism in general, it is invaluable as a clarification of the pivotal term "science" as related to "ideology" and "philosophy" (to say nothing of "Theory"). Nowhere else in Althusser's work do we find a detailed discussion of science, though his most famous writing (i.e. the essay on Ideology and ISAs) relies heavily on the work done here to develop the concept.

For anyone who has come far enough to find this review, this is a must-have.

...I would only add that Althusser's lectures here shed light on his understanding and use of Lenin in the more readily available essays "Lenin and Philosophy" and "Lenin Before Hegel," and, accordingly, on Althusser's view of philosophy vis-à-vis science and ideology. Althusser closes with an incisive analysis of Jacques Monod's inaugural lecture at the Collège de France. It is a pleasure to see some concrete analysis after so much theory.

Getting hold of older publications can be problematic and I was very relieved to find not only a good price, but a copy in a very good condition. It also arrived within the time estimate given.

It would be helpful to know how one can get hold of a publication that is out of print.