From The "Understanding" To "Ambiguous Legacy"

Sidney Hook(1902—1988), whose duality of thought localization and pedigree formed theoretical background impression of general meaning which the later scholars set foot in his researches, followed the famous pragmatist Dewey in early days, established the identity of the pragmatism philosopher with its thesis for the Doctorate "metaphysics of the pragmatism", and his thought identity of Marxist is prominent as a result of a series of his Marxist study works. But the most outstanding student of Dewey, the first Marxist philosophy professor in American history, not only did not occupy any position in the history of Marxist philosophy, but also was rarely known by the people in the pragmatism pedigree. Such tragic result, because of Marxism foothold preserved in our study on Hook on bigger degree, Hook's thought is defined Marxism that is a pragmatism, especially the so-called fracture transition that one gram of thoughts took place at the beginning of the forties at the end of 1930s of moustache, his political standpoint begins to turn to the right wing, he attacks Marxism more direct, more viciously. Hook's pragmatism Marx studies to condemn and take place of dialectical materialism with "empiricism naturalism" mainly, condemn and replace materialist dialectics with the doctrine research approach of the tool, the empiricism and putschism condemn and take place of the theory of reflection that be able to be moved of the revolution in order to creep, condemn and take place of historical materialism with the history view of the hero in a disguised form and only will theory, condemn and replace scientific communism with "democratic socialism ".Against position of Stalin's doctrine because of it, enemy that Hook is considered to be Marxism critical. And because the moustache gram is Dewey's students, the pragmatism has been turned into Marxist opposite. Then the moustache gram is thrown into the rubbish heap, answer a curtain call in history as a tragic personage. But Hook occupies the important position on the development history of Marxism and pragmatism, we once thought that it was the simple and clear appraisal that still needed careful deliberation. Person who regards as earliest Marxist student and propaganda of Hook, later on but carry on the merciless criticism to Marxism, but there are not very few people like Hook in that era. Is it examine the history closely to switch back today, already unable to satisfied with to Sydney we have Hook criticizes and the criticism on the morals generally, and must look conscientiously what happened on earth at that time. Perhaps the figure that the moustache gram is personal will have been fuzzy gradually in contemporary Marxism researcher's sight, but the history behind him will become more and more precious because of this kind of fuzziness.Through studying about the system of one gram of works of moustache, this text sums up and summarizes several big trains of thought, including the epistemology of the tool doctrine, truth of the utility doctrine are watched , several parts of dialectics, plural conception of history, democracy and dictatorship as being mythical. Hook's thought has its deep thought origins, lie in the influence of two kinds of theories of Marxism and pragmatism mainly, this between we and Hook simplified 2 origin that orientate completely too. Hook is from the Science Explorations method of Dewey, especially the basic mode or procedure of its Science Explorations, including some rational factors. Have verified some essential thought process in scientific research to a certain extent, conform with natural scientific development since modern times, meanwhile, there is a positive role in criticize the rationalism proceeding from priori principle and equate experience with the experience theory felting. Some views and expounding the fact that has reflected the characteristic of owning in common of human democracy to a certain extent of Hook 's democratic theory; As the personal experience of the western capitalist society person, he can realize the drawback with more deep capitalist society deeply , therefore his theory includes some factors of criticism capitalism, the inherent contradiction and question to western democracy are revealed to some extent, have offered the direct valuable reference material for the thing that we study the capitalist society. Hook objects to explaining the development of social history with external certainty on the conception of history, object to belittling the great personage's role in historical development, emphasize that there is no mechanical certainty in the social historical field, emphasize importance of incident at the historical incident, emphasize great personage relatively possible decisive action, have certain rational factors.Undoubtedly, Hook had important position in the developing history of pragmatism. Just as he himself says, what he pays attention to is the study on contemporary philosophy and social thought. He has made more contribution in social philosophy, has issued many original ideas. In addition, the research that there is more he to classical Marxism, but view its lose biased more, Before Hook wanted to explain Marxism with the pragmatism, just later on, he just gave up the Marxist flag, but his discontent to Marxism is mainly to the Marxist who is "orthodox group", cherish the compliments to Marx moustache gram deeply all the time; his transition has a great deal of historical and theoretical reasons.