48 | Gillian Rose: Speculative Thinking and Post-Kantian Sociology with James Callahan
Audio Brief
Show transcript
This episode explores Gillian Rose's critique of modern social theory, arguing its Kantian underpinnings limit understanding and that Hegelian speculative thinking is essential for conceiving social transformation.
There are four key takeaways from this discussion.
First, modern social theory often operates within a limiting "Kantian paradigm." This philosophical assumption restricts human knowledge to appearances, separating questions of validity from questions of value. Rose argues this prevents a true grasp of social reality and its potential for change, also extending this critique to post-structuralist thinkers.
Second, a critical failure of social theory is its inability to adequately explain "mediation." This refers to the under-theorized link connecting universal concepts, like a mode of production or systemic racism, to concrete, particular social phenomena. Without this, systemic arguments lack specificity and explanatory power, often leaving theories vulnerable.
Third, Gillian Rose proposes recovering G.W.F. Hegel's "speculative thinking" as a solution. This method moves beyond ordinary propositional understanding to grasp the unity of concepts and reality. It also requires researchers to acknowledge their active involvement in constructing the social data they analyze, moving beyond merely listing biases.
Finally, the ability to think "the absolute"—the unity of thought and being—is presented as a radical political project. Rose argues that abandoning the pursuit of the absolute limits our understanding of human potential and our possibilities. This philosophical capacity is therefore crucial for imagining and enacting fundamental social change.
In essence, Rose's work challenges social theory to re-engage with profound philosophical questions as a precondition for genuine political insight and transformation.
Episode Overview
- The podcast introduces philosopher Gillian Rose and her 1981 book Hegel Contra Sociology, which critiques modern social theory for being trapped within a limiting "Kantian paradigm."
- It explores Rose's central argument that both mainstream sociology and Marxism fail to adequately explain the connection (or "mediation") between universal concepts (like the "mode of production") and concrete social reality.
- The discussion highlights Rose's proposal to recover G.W.F. Hegel's "speculative thinking" as a method to overcome this theoretical impasse and grasp the "social totality."
- The episode examines the radical political implications of Rose's project, arguing that the philosophical ability to think the "absolute"—the unity of thought and being—is essential for conceiving and enacting social transformation.
Key Concepts
- The Kantian Paradigm: The philosophical assumption, which Rose argues underpins modern sociology, that human knowledge is limited to appearances and cannot access "things in themselves." This creates a split between questions of validity (how we know) and value (how we should act).
- Critique of Post-Structuralism: Rose is known for arguing that thinkers like Foucault and Derrida, in their attempts to deconstruct law and power, unintentionally reinstate the very structures they seek to elude.
- Hegel's Speculative Thinking: Proposed as the antidote to the Kantian paradigm, this method moves beyond ordinary propositional understanding to grasp the unity of concepts and reality, including the researcher's active involvement in constructing social data.
- Historical A Priori: A foundational concept within a social theory (e.g., the "mode of production" in Marxism) that structures analysis but whose own conceptual foundations are often left unexamined.
- The Problem of Mediation: The central weakness Rose identifies in social theory—the under-theorized or missing link that explains how a universal system (like capitalism or patriarchy) determines concrete, particular phenomena.
- The Absolute: The unity of thought and being, or the finite and infinite. For Rose, the ability to think the absolute is a precondition for understanding our own potential and enacting radical political change, making it a crucial philosophical and political project.
Quotes
- At 0:02 - "'Oh, I'm so inhibited in my knowing, we can, we can't know.'... That is such a good description of the Kantian paradigm... 'I'm just so finite. Oh my god.'" - The hosts humorously summarize the Kantian epistemological position that Rose critiques, framing it as a lament about the limits of human knowledge.
- At 1:50 - "She became most well-known, I think, for her formidable critique of post-structuralist thinkers... in her book Dialectic of Nihilism." - Gil provides context on Gillian Rose's broader philosophical project.
- At 3:25 - "Hegel writes, for instance, in the Philosophy of Religion, that 'Religion and the foundation of the state is one and the same thing, they are identical in and for themselves.'" - Gil quotes a challenging Hegelian proposition that Rose argues requires a speculative method to understand.
- At 4:40 - "The limits of Kantian thought are precisely knowledge of things as they actually are. That's what we can't know in Kantian thought, and that turns out to be devastating for any sociological program." - Gil articulates the central problem Rose identifies at the heart of modern sociology.
- At 24:30 - "That's like your actual involvement in the process of constructing social data." - Callahan explains that speculative thinking requires a researcher to acknowledge their active role in creating the data they analyze.
- At 25:52 - "How do you get from base to superstructure?" - Callahan articulates what Rose sees as the central, unresolved question for classical Marxist theory regarding the lack of a clear connection between economic and cultural forms.
- At 27:26 - "Pinpointing that link, that moment of relation... that precise determination... is a problem that is under-theorized." - Owen explains how the difficulty of articulating the relationship between a systemic condition and its manifestations leaves theories vulnerable to critique.
- At 46:48 - "I rank a rash that explodes on someone's body... more than I care about the beauty of the heavens." - Callahan relates an anecdote about Hegel to illustrate his profound interest in the concrete and finite, contrary to a Kantian focus on the sublime.
- At 49:35 - "If the infinite is unknowable, we are powerless. For the concept of the infinite is our concept of ourselves and our possibilities." - Owen quotes a key line from Rose, summarizing her argument that abandoning the project of knowing the "absolute" is politically debilitating.
- At 56:12 - "We get the two images of political Hegel, right? ... We get the one that we usually think about, which is the Philosophy of Right... And then you get the other, which is just straight up apocalypse." - Callahan contrasts the common "conservative" reading of Hegel with the radical, prophetic undertones Rose finds in his work.
Takeaways
- Critically assess the hidden philosophical assumptions in social theories, as unexamined Kantian limits can prevent a true understanding of social reality.
- When making systemic arguments (e.g., about systemic racism), strive to articulate the specific mechanisms of mediation that connect the abstract system to concrete events.
- Social researchers should move beyond merely listing biases and instead actively analyze how their own involvement and methods shape the construction of their data.
- Foundational concepts in any theory, such as Marxism's "mode of production," should not be taken for granted but continuously examined to ensure their explanatory power.
- Engaging with ambitious philosophical concepts like "the absolute" is a vital political act, as it shapes our capacity to imagine and strive for fundamental social change.
- Re-evaluate canonical thinkers like Hegel beyond their traditional interpretations to uncover radical insights relevant to contemporary political and social problems.
