Serious Anarchist conference Nov 2nd

[scumbalina]

Praxis means doing stuff.

really? that's...it?

Why not just say that?

 

[chico enrico]

Oh god...I give in. After having felt totally confused by threads here and elsewhere...


WHAT THE FUCK IS PRAXIS?!

Google seems to say it's something to do with mortgages, and I found a bit on Wiki that I don;t really understand, can someone just explain simply what in the name of god it means and how it's relevant to anarchists? Thanks

no, no. I just looked it up and it's something to do with 'customs' - like hanging socks up by the fireplace for Santa to fill with presents on christmas eve, i think.

Oh, and a synth-pop band, apparently.

hope that helps

 

[scumbalina]

Dictionary, for normal usage:

Practical application or exercise of a branch of learning.
Habitual or established practice; custom.

Philosophical dictionary:

A term in use since Aristotle, to whom praxis is one of the three basic activities of human beings (the others being theoria, or theory, and poiēsis, or skilful manufacture). Praxis in Aristotle includes voluntary or goal-directed action, although it sometimes also includes the condition that the action is itself part of the end, an action done for its own sake. In Kant, praxis is the application of a theory to cases encountered in experience, but is also ethically significant thought, or practical reason, that is, reasoning about what there should be as opposed to what there is. Kant's placing of the practical above the theoretical influenced the subsequent thought of Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel. But it is in Marx that the concept becomes central to the new philosophical ideal of transforming the world through revolutionary activity. The subordination of theory to practice is connected with the inability of reason to solve contradictions, which are instead removed by the dialectical progress of history. Praxis is also connected with genuinely free, self-conscious, authentic activity as opposed to the alienated labour demanded under capitalism. See also false consciousness. This bold bit is what Atty is talking about.

Thesaurus:
praxis

noun

A habitual way of behaving: consuetude, custom, habit, habitude, manner, practice, usage, usance, use, way, wont. See usual/unusual.

Praxis (disambiguation)
Praxis may refer to:

Praxis (process), the process of putting theoretical knowledge into practice
Praxis (Eastern Orthodoxy), the practice of faith, especially worship
Praxis (band), a Bill Laswell musical project
Praxis (moon), a planetary body in the Star Trek universe
Praxis may also be:

Praxis, a genus of moth in the subfamily Calpinae
Praxis, one of the names of Aphrodite in Greek Mythology

See also
The Praxis, a novel by Walter Jon Williams
Praxis test, a teacher certification exam
Praxis school, a school of Marxist philosophy
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title.

So as you can see, it's got a whole range of associations, from Marx to cheesy-but=readable sci-fi (I've got the 3 Praxis novels )

*head explodes*

 

[kyser_soze]

Because that's not what it means to Marxists you see; to them it's a word pregnant with both potential and meaning...

 

[chico enrico]

Praxis means doing stuff.

what? like going down the pub? shagging?

 

[chico enrico]

Because that's not what it means to Marxists you see; to them it's a word pregnant with both potential and meaning...

ah...like "party" is to most people?

 

[kyser_soze]

I base my ideas in the 'real world from real people'.

Ahh, that real world. Yeah, right. Gabbing on about anti-intellectualism, that's real world...

 

[kyser_soze]

Chico - I think the praxis of shagging would be loosing your virginity - the act of turning theory into practice. Or 'party'...yes, that's a word with potential and meaning...

 

[scumbalina]

Chico - I think the praxis of shagging would be loosing your virginity - the act of turning theory into practice.

So thinking about doing something then doing it, that what it means?

 

[The Black Hand]

So thinking about doing something then doing it, that what it means?

here's some more that may help, i wrote this t'other day;
Most people and so called political groups have a Non Marxist/anarchist understanding of Praxis - they keep the 2 separate, or often do theory without practice, or practice without theory, or theory which they do not test in their social democratic practice.

It is false to see theory here, and practice over there.

It is the joining up of theory and practice in class struggle, which inevitably influences and changes political surroundings/ambiance/possibilities which necessitates the generation of new theory, which changes the quality of 'theory' and 'practice' on the move to create Praxis.

 

[The Black Hand]

Ahh, that real world. Yeah, right. Gabbing on about anti-intellectualism, that's real world...

I think you will find that I am ahead of the game. Yes I know that there are political people on here, that is why they should have a wider knowledge base, and why i post on here... Struggles come and go, though 'organic intellectuals' (see Gramsci) are one of the things which link struggles together...

 

[chico enrico]

Chico - I think the praxis of shagging would be loosing your virginity - the act of turning theory into practice. O

aha!! I think i've got it now. so a useful dialectic exposition of praxis could be found in 'national lampoon's Animal House' or 'Dude, your mom gives me a boner' ? thanks

 

[scumbalina]

here's some more that may help, i wrote this t'other day;
Most people and so called political groups have a Non Marxist/anarchist understanding of Praxis - they keep the 2 separate, or often do theory without practice, or practice without theory, or theory which they do not test in their social democratic practice.

It is false to see theory here, and practice over there.

It is the joining up of theory and practice in class struggle, which inevitably influences and changes political surroundings/ambiance/possibilities which necessitates the generation of new theory, which changes the quality of 'theory' and 'practice' on the move to create Praxis.

Thanks...so it basically means, like some people gab on about changing the world and how to do it and others do stuff, and if someone does both that's praxis?

 

[fogbat]

 

[sleaterkinney]

How many serious anarchists does it take to change a lightbulb?

A mini delegation to hold the chair, one to enact the lightbulb praxis, and another one to slap the dissenters

 

[kyser_soze]

Most people and so called political groups have a Non Marxist/anarchist understanding of Praxis

Insofar as they never actually use the word, preferring other terms...

 

[chico enrico]

here's some more that may help, i wrote this t'other day;
Most people and so called political groups have a Non Marxist/anarchist understanding of Praxis - they keep the 2 separate, or often do theory without practice, or practice without theory, or theory which they do not test in their social democratic practice.

It is false to see theory here, and practice over there.

It is the joining up of theory and practice in class struggle, which inevitably influences and changes political surroundings/ambiance/possibilities which necessitates the generation of new theory, which changes the quality of 'theory' and 'practice' on the move to create Praxis.

or alternatively you could have written:

"most people don't practice what they preach. If you're going to talk the talk you should be able to walk the walk"

there, simple, understandable and not a 'praxis' or 'autonomy' in sight

 

[scumbalina]

or alternatively you could have written:

"most people don't practice what they preach. If you're going to talk the talk you should be able to walk the walk"

there, simple, understandable and not a 'praxis' or 'autonomy' in sight

So that's it, it just means being active in what you gab on about?

Isn;t that just obvious? Why's it such a big deal, like it needs a whole special word? I kinda thought it was gonna be something more exciting than that

 

[kyser_soze]

there, simple, understandable and not a 'praxis' or 'autonomy' in sight

Anti-intellectualist!

 

[8den]

I am going to strive to include the word praxis in a meeting today.

 

[rover07]

I am going to strive to include the word praxis in a meeting today.

Yeah, get some praxis in.

 

[chico enrico]

and me on a date tonight.
i shall start talking about shagging and hope an exercise in 'praxis' developes.

 

[8den]

We need to synergize our paradigm in order to maximize our group praxis efficiency.

 

[kyser_soze]

Hmmm, we should construct a 'Revo-Speak' dictionary, and compare and contrast with 'Management Speak'...

 

[Jografer]

Yes I know that there are political people on here, that is why they should have a wider knowledge base, and why i post on here.

For which we are all are so very, very grateful...

 

[fogbat]

Praxis is very nearly an anagram of Arse pix.

 

[kyser_soze]

Hmm, I suspect this thread has now become frivolous and underserving of Master Attica's attention.

 

[8den]

Hmm, I suspect this thread has now become frivolous and underserving of Master Attica's attention.

You mock and jest. Attica is just praxising for his international brigade to Palestine.

Yes this cheeky chappy wanted Vegan anarchists to help I undo, load rockets for Hezzbolah or something.

 

[fogbat]

Hmm, I suspect this thread has now become frivolous and underserving of Master Attica's attention.

So I shouldn't post up my arse pix?

 

[kyser_soze]

Only if it's a praxis arse pic.