And These Are Just From the Introduction

Yesterday, I began my reading of von Mises Human Action. I didn’t get past the Foreward, before my pen was in my hand, annotating and underlining.  Here are what I consider to be a few choice quotes, from just the Introduction.

"But even those thinkers whose inquiry was free from any theological tendency failed utterly in these endeavors because they were committed to a faulty method.  They dealt with humanity as a whole or with other holistic concepts like nation, race, or church."

"Choosing determines all human decisions."

"It is the task of a “sociology of knowledge” to unmask philosophies and scientific-theories and to expose their “ideological” emptiness."

"He should let the dogs bark and pay no heed to their yelping."

"Science does not give us absolute and final certainty.  It only gives us assurance within the limits of our mental abilities and the prevailing state of scientific thought."

"It is common with narrow-minded people to reflect upon every respect in which other people differ from themselves."

What further treats await me as I delve further into this work?  I cannot wait to find out, and I doubt that I shall, wait.

Posted by on 09/07 at 02:46 PM

  1. Between "Human Action" and Ayn Rand’s “Letters”, I found citations that centered on Einstein and Newton, and formally identified an epistemic fallacy that I have never seen anyone else name.

    Wait’ll you get to his exposition of “polylogism” beginning around page 75.

    I could do a whole book of notes on "Human Action".  It really is the philosophical counterweight to "Das Kapital".

    One thing you might want to keep in mind is that he can be fairly idiosyncratic, sometimes.  I don’t know if it’s because of translation, or what.  Many times, however, I’ve seen commie weezils quoting something he’s written, and not realize (or maybe know and not care to attend the fact) that he’s stating his opponents’ arguments.  For any number of reasons, it can sometimes be a tad difficult to keep track of those transitions.  He requires careful reading, but he’s worth it.

    Extremely important.

    Posted by Billy Beck  on  09/07  at  08:46 PM

  2. Billy -

    Thanks for the input.  I’ll be attending this work with care.

    Posted by  on  09/08  at  03:02 AM

  3. Von Mises: Choosing determines all human decisions.

    Okay, so how is “Choosing” determined?

    Is “Choosing” the result of an underlying logical process, or is it the result of the stochastic (“random”) nature of quantum mechanics?

    Does “God” (or Tlop) really play dice with reality? … do you?

    I hope Von Mises has got something better up his sleeve than mere “magic”. Otherwise, I detect (perceive) a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.

    Posted by  on  09/08  at  08:25 AM

  4. Serpent - Maybe you should invest in von Mises book, and find out for YOURSELF.

    Posted by  on  09/08  at  08:42 AM

  5. Actually, I read about half way through that book some years ago.

    But I got bored with it.

    Who knows Mr. Venlet, maybe you will perceive something there that I failed to perceive myself?

    Maybe you’ll even be able (and willing) to explain it to me afterwards? 

    Posted by  on  09/08  at  08:57 AM

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