I agree with everything in Mustafa's recent clarification, and also, I think the analogy
between "tool" and "concept" which we have discussed in relation to Vygotsky is well
made.

I will take Hager's advice, and agree that we have achieved agreement, and refocus on
our discussion.

Also, please accept my apologies Annette especially, and Alex - I have not yet got
around to adjusting the translation mistakes Annette (and Alex) have pointed out. I have
been concentrating on writing a thing on the Notion, and it has absorbed my
concentration. I will make the correction as soon as possible.

I am having a bit of trouble understanding the following:
(1) Substance: Hegel says "the notion is the truth of substance", which appears to be the
equivalent of "reciprocity" or "Necessity and Freedom", but I don't understand how this
connects with Spinoza's concept of Substance.
(2) The Notion is a simple abstract concept, as it appears at first, as "the truth of
Substance" or the "unity of Being and Essence", and develops into a more concrete
concept - the idea. That's OK, But, I can't find where Hegel brings out this simplicity, as
exhibited in Marx's Notion of capitalism as "generalised commodity production" and
Vygotsky's Notion of "word meaning"?

Any ideas?

It is interesting isn't it, that our group has fairly similar characteristics - I think we are
mostly Marxist but sort of a bit non-conventional Marxists if I could say such a thing;
we are all "amateur" philosophers, but have interest and training in science of one kind
or another.

Thanks you all. I think this is a great discussion group. My friends who have
participated in other Marxist discussion groups on the Internet have had very negative
experiences.


Andy