Alan Woods

[Nikkolas]

Well I've always been a supporter of Lenin and thus my search for articles on him led me to Mr. Woods. He seems an intelligent man and I've heard some of his speeches.

I hear he's also coming out with a new book and I think I'll look for that.

However, I was looking at topics here and it seemed certain members were less-than-enthused by Comrade Woods.

So, is he a good source of information?

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Well, his stuff on dialectics is appallingly bad:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rosa.l/appendix_to%20page%20seven.htm

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rosa.l/page%2004.htm

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rosa.l/page%2007.htm

He e-mailed me last year for advice on the logical sections of the second edition to 'Reason in Revolt', so that chapter is slightly less poor now --, but he ignored many of my suggestions, and so the second edition contains the same errors and typos as the first.

[dirtycommiebastard]

Nikkolas,

Alan Woods is the leading theoretician of my organization, the IMT.
If you like, you can PM me and we can discuss Alan Woods works, as I have read a few of them. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions.

As for Rosa, you are blatantly trolling. The comrade above asked if we thought Alan Woods was a good source and you chose to opportunistically push your anti-dialectics campaign which most people on this site choose to ignore, as it is the ONLY thing you bother with while posting. Alan Woods has for more to offer than his view of Dialectical Materialism, though for believers in Marxist philosophy, Reason in Revolt is a great book which helped me improve my understanding much better.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

DirtyEtc:


As for Rosa, you are blatantly trolling. The comrade above asked if we thought Alan Woods was a good source and you chose to opportunistically push your anti-dialectics campaign which most people on this site choose to ignore, as it is the ONLY thing you bother with while posting. Alan Woods has for more to offer than his view of Dialectical Materialism, though for believers in Marxist philosophy, Reason in Revolt is a great book which helped me improve my understanding much better.

If Wood is a rubbish philosopher, then it is relevant to point that out, when the OP asks this:


So, is he a good source of information?

In logic and philosophy, he is hopeless -- and he is selective over which scientific examples he chooses, and even then, he gets many wrong, as this book shows:

'Science, Marxism and the Big Bang', by Peter Mason.

http://www.marxist.net/sciphil/reasoninrevolt/index.html

And 'Reason in Revolt' is a worthless book, as the links I have given show -- it should be re-named 'Reason in Remission'.

Moreover, if it helped you with your 'understanding', that can only be because you are very naive -- or you too know very little logic and/or philosophy.

And, a large proportion of my 7000+ posts have been on other topics than this mystical 'theory', but not of late (that is why you formed the wrong impression).

Anyway, if you do not like it -- tough.

[Led Zeppelin]

In logic and philosophy, he is hopeless -- and he is selective over which scientific examples he chooses, and even then, he gets many wrong, as this book shows:

'Science, Marxism and the Big Bang', by Peter Mason.

http://www.marxist.net/sciphil/reasoninrevolt/index.html

Interesting.

I thought that book was a petty sectarian attempt to attack the IMT, I didn't realize it actually got things right.

[Louis Pio]

Well Led if your on the same side as Rosa you know something must be seriously seriously wrong;)

Nikkolas personally I would say yes Alan Woods is an exellent source of information, however I might add that im a bit biased since im a member of IMT and met him on several occasions. I would especially reccomend 2 books by him
1. Bolshevism - The road to revolution
http://www.marxist.com/bolshevism-road-revolution-lenin-trotsky.htm
2. Lenin and Trotsky - What they really stood for (written with Ted Grant)
http://www.marxist.com/lenin-trotsky-stalinism-johnstone-41.htm

[Led Zeppelin]

Nah I'm not on the same side as her, to be honest I haven't read either book, so I'm not going to form any judgements on either before I do that. :)

[Louis Pio]

Good point, quite sound approach to take

[Q]

2. Lenin and Trotsky - What they really stood for (written with Ted Grant)
http://www.marxist.com/lenin-trotsky-stalinism-johnstone-41.htm
I read that one. It's a very long polemic response on a Stalinist attempt of falsification by the Communist Youth of the UK iirc. While it surely had some interesting points, it was mostly a boring read as it had very much the structure of "oh, those stalinists are wrong, this is what they really said!".

Or maybe I just don't like reading old polemics.

And I agree with Rosa on her recommendation of "Science, Marxism and the Big Bang", which is also a polemic in response to "Reason in Revolt", but somehow much easier to read.

[Louis Pio]

I like the Lenin and Trotsky since it quite demolishes all the stalinist myths.
However considering stalinism is almost extinct today I can see why some thinks it's a bit dated, still some of the myths about Lenin and Trotsky are still put forward by the bourgiosie.

I found "Science, Marxism and the Big Bang" to be too short to cover it's subject.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

T:


Well Led if your on the same side as Rosa you know something must be seriously seriously wrong

Well, T, let's see you put your proof where your mouth is. Think you are up to it?

Or are you still too scared to take me on in this area?


I found "Science, Marxism and the Big Bang" to be too short to cover it's subject.

And rather repetitive, but it nails 'Reason in Revolt' on science.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

LZ:


I thought that book was a petty sectarian attempt to attack the IMT, I didn't realize it actually got things right.

It starts off really well, but about a third of the way through it gets bogged down on 'infinity' and then becomes rather repetitive.

But, it is one of the best short, and reasonable defences of dialectical materialism I have seen in 25 years. I did not think it all that sectarian, though.

I will be nailing it, however, in a later Essay.:)

[Louis Pio]

If I wanted abuse I would have adressed myself directly to you or have attended a Ku Klux Klan rally, I did neither so please keep your infantile remarks of scared, my lix number is bigger than yours, I write bigger essays than you, Im bigger, wiser etc etc etc to yourself or those people who doesn't know better than to engage with the boards biggest troll. Thank you in advance from yours truly

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

T:


If I wanted abuse I would have adressed myself directly to you or have attended a Ku Klux Klan rally, I did neither so please keep your infantile remarks of scared, my lix number is bigger than yours, I write bigger essays than you, Im bigger, wiser etc etc etc to yourself or those people who doesn't know better than to engage with the boards biggest troll. Thank you in advance from yours truly

Ah, the same old cowardly excuse -- don't you just love it?

[Louis Pio]

Yes I do love analysing your obssesion with abusing people and the whole "coward, scared, stupid, retard" language so befitting of you, quite interesting indeed.
I have lots of fun reading your monologues in the philosophy forum.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

T:


Yes I do love analysing your obssesion with abusing people and the whole "coward, scared, stupid, retard" language so befitting of you, quite interesting indeed.
I have lots of fun reading your monologues in the philosophy forum.

Whatever -- you still shy away every time...

[Louis Pio]

Indeed, it's a quite common human reaction when something stinks, you can still look at it but you wouldn't want to smell it.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

T:


Indeed, it's a quite common human reaction when something stinks, you can still look at it but you wouldn't want to smell it.

I think you should bathe more often, in that case.

Now, we can keep this up for a dozen or so posts, as we usually do, then you can skulk off with your tail between your legs, as you usually do, if you like.

[Q]

Can we go back ontopic again?

[nvm]

Alan Woods is an excellent theoritician .

This (http://www.marxist.com/reformism-or-revolution-launched-in-madrid.htm) is his latest book.

It is an excellent response to all the reformists/revisionists.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

NVM, on some things you are right, he is good.

On logic, science, mathematics and philosophy, he is little better than a complete novice.

[nvm]

On logic, science, mathematics and philosophy, he is little better than a complete novice.Roza If you were better than Alan Woods you would be the main theoritician of the IMt instead of him and you would be one of the most respected socialists instead of him.
Do some self criticism also:)

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

NVM:


Roza If you were better than Alan Woods you would be the main theoritician of the IMt instead of him and you would be one of the most respected socialists instead of him.

Yes, I can just imagine Roman Catholic priests saying to Galileo in 1605:

"Galileo, if you were better than Aristotle you would be the main theoritician of the Church instead of him and you would be one of the most respected Philosophers instead of him."

All I can say is that if he is the best you've got, 'god' help you...


Do some self criticism also

Yes, you are right, I should.

So, here goes: "I, Rosa L, am way to soft on you dialectical mystics."

[Louis Pio]

Looking forward to reading "anti-dietrich" when I get the time, it's long overdue

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Eh?

[Louis Pio]

His new book on "reform or revolution" written mostly as a reply to the german Heinz Dietrich whose vision of "21 st. century" socialism is quite reformist, his vision seems alot like the now mostly defunct "scandinavian wellfare states". Im sure you heard about him.
NVM linked to it.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Sounds good! Thanks!

[Nikkolas]

The link I followed only went to an article about his book premiering in Spain. Is there a link to the book somewhere in there?

Also dcb, I'll take you up on that PM offer. I'm quite interested in Mr. Woods and the IMT.

[Louis Pio]

Is there a link to the book somewhere in there?


The book is just published, so it will probably be a while before it's put online.
But here's an article Alan wrote in response to Heinz Dietrich earlier.
http://www.marxist.com/counterrevolution-raises-head-dieterich-and-baduel.htm
http://www.marxist.com/venezuela-counterrevolution-heinz-dieterich-baduel.htm
And an audiointerview were Alan speaks on the book http://www.marxist.com/audio-reformism-or-revolution.htm

[redflag32]

I enjoyed his book "Ireland:republicanism and revolution"