Positivism’s calculative thought is itself built on a nature-control interest

Evidence

There was another important argument which Horkheimer did not use: that the calculative thinking which the positivists hypostatized was itself by no means value-free. It sprang from an interest in having control over nature, just as the social theory defended by Horkheimer sprang from an interest in having a rational society. The positivists’ basic argument for setting limitations on thought thus affected their own thinking as well. But for Horkheimer the concept of domination over nature, whatever he understood by it, was too self-evident for him to see this, and he even wanted to extend it to human nature as well. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 752 (#expands, via linked claim)

The ratio which supplants mimesis is not simply its counterpart. It is itself mimesis: mimesis unto death. The subjective spirit which cancels the animation of nature can master a despiritualized nature only by imitating its rigidity and despiritutalizing itself in turn. Imitation enters into the service of domination inasmuch as even man is anthropomorphized for man. — Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Dialectic of Enlightenment, 63 (#complicates, via linked claim)

In barring access to this realm, positivist philosophy sets up a self-sufficient world of its own, closed and well protected against the ingression of disturbing external factors. In this respect, it makes little difference whether the validating context is that of mathematics, of logical propositions, or of custom and usage. In one way or another, all possibly meaningful predicates are prejudged. The prejudging judgment might be as broad as the spoken English language, or the dictionary, or some other code or convention. Once accepted, it constitutes an empirical a priori which cannot be transcended. — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 671 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: Rational self-preservation conquers nature only by imitating nature’s own rigidity — Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Dialectic of Enlightenment, 63; Positivists’ calculative thinking is itself interest-laden and not value-free. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 752; Positivist philosophy imposes an empirical a priori that cannot be transcended — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the…, 671 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Positivists’ calculative thinking is itself interest-laden and not value-free. #expands (0.95) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 752
• Rational self-preservation conquers nature only by imitating nature’s own rigidity #complicates (0.80) — Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Dialectic of Enlightenment, 63
• Positivist philosophy imposes an empirical a priori that cannot be transcended #expands (0.75) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 671
• Formal logic preconditioned the mind for technological control #complicates (0.75) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 526
• Categorical thinking actively serves the perceiver’s self-interest, not just accuracy #complicates (0.70) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1171
• Controlling nature and controlling humans advance together within science #corroborates (0.70) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 614
• Philosophy’s task is resisting the status quo’s suggestive compulsion #responds-to (0.70)