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The Main Tenets of the Theory of Knowledge of Dialectical Materialism

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Soviet Theory of Knowledge

Part of the book series: Sovietica ((SOVA,volume 16))

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Abstract

The theory of knowledge of contemporary dialectical materialism is marked off from that of any other contemporary philosophy by a series of doctrinal tenets which are drawn directly from the classics. Among these the most characteristic are: the ‘Leninist theory of reflection’, the ‘dialectic of absolute and relative truth’, ‘practice as basis of knowledge and criterion of truth’, and the ‘dialectic of the logical and historical’.

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References

  1. The world is matter moving in conformity to law, and our knowledge, being the highest product of nature, is in a position only to reflect this conformity to law.“ (Materialism and Empirio-Criticism,p. 170). ”Matter is a philosophical category denoting the objective reality which is given to man by his sensations,and which is copied, photographed and reflected by our sensations, while existing independently of them.“ (Ibid.,p. 127). ”Natural science leaves no room for doubt that its assertion that the earth existed prior to man is a truth. This is entirely compatible with the materialist theory of knowledge: the existence of the thing reflected independent of the reflector (the independence of the external world from the mind) is a fundamental tenet of materialism. The assertion made by science that the earth existed prior to man is an objective truth.“ (Ibid.,pp. 120–121).

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  2. Basing himself on the thesis of the unity of the world and the interconnection of its phenomena, Lenin drew the conclusion that all matter must have the property - essentially related to sensation - of reflection which exists at the very foundation of the edifice of matter, i.e. is present in its very simplest forms. This property is not sensation; it is only `related’ (rodstvenno) to sensation.“ (Istorija flosofi,vol. 5, p. 101). Cf. Lenin: Materialism and Empirio-Criticism,p. 38.

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  3. The simplest forni of reflection, present in all matter, is a reaction (reagirovanie) of certain material objects to the action of others such that the characteristics of the external action are so to speak reproduced and imprinted in the material objects. The best known form of this reflection in anorganic nature is the reflection of objects in a mirror.“ (Osnovy,p. 175). More analytic treatments are to be found in P. K. Anoxin: ‘Operezajuscee otrazenie dejstvitel’nosti’ (The Outstripping Reflection of Reality). VF 1962, 7, 97–111. and V. S. Tjuxtin: `O suscnosti otraienija’ (On the Essence of Reflection). VF 1962, 5, 59–71. The Filosofskaja enciklopedija defines vzaimodejstvie as follows: ”a universal form of the bonds of bodies or phenomena, realized in their mutual transformations. Two or more interacting bodies or phenomena constitute a system in which is accomplished the process of the transformation of motion…“ (p. 250).

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  4. Reflection as the general property of matter of all spheres of interactivity in the material world consists, first, in the fact that external activities condition even the internal nature of things and phenomena both putting aside in itself the results in each phenomenon of the activity on it and as `representations’ (predstavleny), reflecting all the objects which are in interaction with it; and, second, any activity of one phenomenon on another is refracted by the internal properties of the phenomenon on which the activity is exerted.“ (S. L. Rubingtejn: Principy i puti razvitija psixologii ( Principles and Paths of the Development of Psychology ). Moskva. 1959. p. 11 ).

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  5. Cf. Osnovy,p. 175.

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  7. Osnovy: loc.cit.

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  8. Osnovy, p. 178. Cf. also Dialektiéeskij materializm (Vys§aja partijnaja gkola pri CK KPSS). Moskva. 1960. Henceforeward: VA: Diamat. Here: p. 117.

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  9. Osnovy, p. 179. Cf. also VP: Diamat, p. 122. For a physiological point of view, see M. A. Logvin in FN 1962, 5, 42–49, E. A. in VF 1962, 8, 66–77, Gras“cenko et al. in VF 1962, 8, 36–49.

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  10. Osnovy, p. 178.

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  11. Ibid., p. 179.

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  12. VP: Diamat,p. 125.

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  13. Osnovy, p. 190.

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  14. Ibid., p. 179.

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  15. Andreev: Osnovy,p. 175 and Osnovy,p. 303.

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  16. Cf. Chapter I, pp. 6–7.

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  17. Cf., e.g., P. S. Popov: `Predmet formal’noj logiki i dialektika’ (The Object of Formal Logic and the Dialectic). VF 1951, 1, 210–218.

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  18. Osnovy, p. 307. Cf. N. Lobkowicz: Das Widerspruchsprinzip in der neueren sowjetischen Philosophie. Dordrecht, Holland. 1960. p. 22.

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  19. M. M. Rozental’: Principy dialektiéeskoj logiki ( Principles of Dialectical Logic ). Moskva. 1960. p. 114.

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  20. Cf. K. G. Ballestrem: `Soviet Historiography of Philosophy’. Studies in Soviet Thought III (1963) 107–120.

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  21. Cf. M. N. Alekseev: Dialektika form myslenija ( Dialectic of the Forms of Thought ). Moskva. 1959.

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  22. Osnovy, p. 229.

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  23. VPS: Diamat,p. 341.

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  24. Cf. Philosophical Notebooks,pp. 92–93. Cf. also Engels in K. Marks, F. Engel’s: Socinenija,t. 14, p. 337.

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  25. VPS: Diamat,pp. 301–302. Andreev: Osnovy,pp. 246–247.

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  26. Andreev: Osnovy,p. 245.

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  27. Istorija filosofzi, vol. 5, p. 105. VPS: Diamat, pp. 341–342. Osnovy, p. 339.

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  28. Engels: Anti-Dühring (English) p. 86.

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  29. I. D. Andreev: Dialektiéeskij materializm. Moskva. 1960. p. 452.

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  30. “Filosofskix tetradjax” Y. I. Lenina (On the Philosophic Notebooks of Lenin). Moskva. 1959. Henceforeward: OFT. Here: p. 207.

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  31. Ibid., p. 209.

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  32. Osnovy, p. 339.

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  33. Rozental’ even says: “Development is an existential form of thought, of knowledge.” (Principy dialekticeskoj logiki. Moskva. 1960. p. 120, in italics).

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  34. Osnovy, p. 340.

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  35. Engels: Anti-Diihring (English), p. 85.

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  36. The Process of human knowledge can never be ended since objectively existing matter, nature, is eternal in time, unlimited in space and in constant change and development. Knowledge is the reflection of the endless and constantly changing objective world; hence, it is itself an unending and always developing process.“ (VPS: Diamat,p. 347).

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  37. Osnovy, p. 340. Andreev: op.cit., p. 456.

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  38. Cf., e.g., VPS: Diamat,p. 350. and Andreev: Osnovy,p. 263. In VF 1948, 1, 294, P. S. Trofimov cites the law of the conservation of energy as an example of an absolute truth.

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  39. Praktika has more the meaning of `practical activity’ or `implementation’ in English. We use `practice’ for convenience.

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  40. Osnovy, p. 333.

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  41. Cf. I. T. Jakus“evskij: ‘O dialektiko-materialisticeskom ponimanii praktiki’ (On the Dialectical-Materialist Conception of Practice). FN 1958, 4, 113–121.

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  42. Cf. M. N. Rutkeviè: `Dialekticeskij xarakter kriterija praktiki’ (The Dialectical Character of the Criterion Practice). VF 1959, 9, 45.

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  43. S. L. Rubins“tejn: op.cit.,p. 97.

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  44. the practical activity of man had to bring the consciousness of man to the million-fold repetition of different logical figures in order that these figures come to have the character of axioms.“ (Lenin: Filosofskie tetrady. Moskva. 1947, p. 164).

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  45. Extreme cases of this type have become much rarer since Stalin’s death. Because Khrushchov has written no philosophical works thus far, contemporary Soviet philosophers can be content with vague references to his speeches on corn-raising and chemical (fertilizer) production.

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  46. Cf. Bibliography, on page 182.

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  47. Filosofskie tetrady. Moskva. 1947. pp. 146–147. More recently, P. P. Cupin has universalized practice on the basis of this quotation. (s. FN 1962, 1, 80–87 ).

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  48. Rutkevic VF 1954, 3, 34–45. Cf. Chapter 1, pp. 3–4.

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  49. Podosetnik VF 1954, 5, 77–81.

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  50. For Rutkevic’s reply and the report of other opinions, see G. S. in VF 1955, 1, 139–144.

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  51. 51. VF 1955, 1, 144–149.

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  52. Andreev: Osnovy,p. 317.

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  53. Ibid., p. 318.

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  54. Ibid., p. 322.

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  55. VPg: Diamat,pp. 339–340. Cf. Osnovy,p. 324.

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  56. 56. OFT,pp. 269–270. Osnovy,p. 323.

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  57. Andreev: Osnovy,p. 218.

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  58. 58. Osnovy,p. 323.

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  59. Lenin: Soc. t. 38, p. 309.

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  60. Just as formal logic is oriented toward the investigation of means and rules of the correct combination of concepts and judgements and the ordered derivation of some thoughts from others, so dialectical logic tries to more adequately express (vyrazit’) in concepts and other forms of thought the content of really changing things and processes.“ (M. M. Rozental’: op.cit.,p. 88).

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  61. Ibid., pp. 88–89.

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  62. Ibid., p. 190.

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  1. Department of Philosophy, Boston College, Boston, Mass., USA

    Thomas J. Blakeley

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© 1964 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Blakeley, T.J. (1964). The Main Tenets of the Theory of Knowledge of Dialectical Materialism. In: Soviet Theory of Knowledge. Sovietica, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3036-5_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3036-5_3

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