History Forum / General / General Topics / February 2006

re: what the h is "cultural history" & why am I posting like I know

So, IMHO:

The philosopher Hegel--not that I cogently understand him--apparently
interprets history as events, and calls such "historical determinism."

Well--IMHO--I've thought of Hegel as somehow affirming my perception of
"cultural history," and have duly hereaby worded it for my friend and
enemies as being "culture determinism."

If anybody has seen the phrase "cultural determinism" used as
promiscuously by anybody else, then ... terrific: I have probably
plagarized it; but I do like it better than "historical" and "economic"
determinisms, because it's inclusionary as in kitchen sink.

The philosopher/ideologist Marx, (in)famously says he turns Hegel
upside down--that "economics determinism" is the cause-all to
affect-all.

Just between us, I really don't like the straitiated categorizations of
social studies particulary the phrase "social sciences."

I perceive so much of it as being pseudo-scientific-esoteric
gobbledygooky--fucke-u if you don't comprehend math so well--aka
"behaviorism."

I perceive reality as all the above in that I'm an eclecticist in that
artificial distinctions of academia, a la "economic history" &
...whatever do not really describe reality, and in fact  seem to
expediently distort "history."

Anyhow: That's what Larry Summers and me were discussing a couple of
days ago when Larry's phone-service terminated with extreme prejudice.