The Sokal Hoax

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

The Sokal Hoax (http://www.skepdic.com/sokal.html)


But why did I do it? I confess that I'm an unabashed Old Leftist who never quite understood how deconstruction was supposed to help the working class. And I'm a stodgy old scientist who believes, naively, that there exists an external world, that there exist objective truths about that world, and that my job is to discover some of them. --Allan Sokal


Sokal hoaxed Social Text for political reasons. Both are "leftist" politically, but Sokal considers the New Left to be guilty of "epistemic relativism." (Is this another hoax?) He seems particularly peeved that the New Left promotes the notion that reality is a social construction. Furthermore, the New Left has created "a self-perpetuating academic subculture that typically ignores (or disdains) reasoned criticism from the outside." So, apparently Sokal wanted to criticize the "epistemic relativism" and "social constructivism" of the New Left in a New Left journal but felt the only way they would let him do so would be if he pretended to share their ideology.

I believe Sokal has a point. The left as I see it today is ridden with subjectivists and so-called 'intellectuals' who engage in their own little circle-jerk. I personally find this situation untenable.

What are your thoughts?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

No thoughts? Cmon people!

[Organic Revolution]

maybe this isnt the answer you wanted.. but our so-called intellecuals will sit around all day speaking on marx, until there hair goes grey, and you pass away.

[gilhyle]

The weltanschauung of imperial Rome was characterised by eclecticism, sophism, Platonism and stoicism.......wanna know what it felt like, look around?

The sense of hope that creates aspirational faith in science is characteristic of a rising society. The sense of self-satisfaction that combines reliance on technology with speculative pseudo-spiritual eclecticism is characteristic of a society gone to seed.

Sokol doesn't like it .... well Imperial Rome was full of people hankering for the good old days when there were martial values, patriotism and clear perspectives. Such people are just part of the scenary in an 'advanced' society.

[Monty Cantsin]

http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=36766

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Sokol doesn't like it .... well Imperial Rome was full of people hankering for the good old days when there were martial values, patriotism and clear perspectives. Such people are just part of the scenary in an 'advanced' society.

I hardly think hankering back to the good ole days is comparable to wanting your movement based in reality.

@ Monty Cantsin: Dammit, I wanted to post something unique to Philosophy!

[Monty Cantsin]

This treads developed more interest so I guess you can take solace in that.

[Don't Change Your Name]

Oh, yeah, this reminds me of many leftists which have lost touch with reality. Some even went to the point of turning their ideologies into a 'religion'. I think I've pointed this out a couple of times already.