On Althusser's Marxism From The Conception Of Theoretical Practice

Theoretical Practice is Althusser's iconic conception.According to Althusser,theory is a process that produces knowledge,and theory in essentially is practical.This is so different from the traditional understanding of theory,which is composed of concepts and propositions and corresponding to practice.Althusser defines three kinds of theory which are unified in human's cognitive activities: Theoretical Practice is the process of knowledge,�theory�(in inverted commas)is systematic knowledge,and Theory(with a capital T)is the methodology.Based on this view,Althusser divides Marxism into two parts: science(historical materialism?�theory�)and philosophy(dialectical materialism?Theory).And science is the process of scientific theoretical practice which makes science emerge from ideology.Althusser emphasizes that science and philosophy cannot be confused.But in contrary to expectations,philosophy here is treated as the methodology of science,which is the science of sciences,and thus is science.It causes a contradiction.What more,it is theoreticism and weakens Marxism's political nature.In response,Althusser makes self-criticism and redefines philosophy as the class struggle in theory.As the result,philosophy and science are truly distinguished from each other,and both are closely connected with politics.Philosophy itself is practical,it is the continuation of class struggle in theory,and science provides knowledge about class struggle.Meanwhile,the relationship between philosophy and science is also reversed.It is not science that causes philosophy,but philosophical practice that causes science's birth.On the surface,the revision grants Marxist science and philosophy the ability to change the world,but the theory and practice are not unified in reality.This is because Althusser's understanding about Marxist science is different with Marx's or Engels' s.Althusser draws on the French philosophy of science in 20 th century and Spinoza philosophy,which both are rationalism epistemology.So,he regards the science of history as one of many subjects,and regards history as a scientific object which is the concrete-in-thought.Once the history is scientized,it is far from Marx/Engels,because they base history science on ontology.Therefore,although Althusser is eager to defend Marxism,he falls into theoreticism inevitably,and he still needs to point out the actuality and revolutionary of science.