Althusser is able to specify the inner relationship between Marxism as a scientific discourse and Marxism as a philosophical position with respect to anti-Marxist perspectives. "Ideologies are not pure illusions (Error), but bodies of representations existing in institutions and practices." (pg,155). Althusser takes a more scientific and literal approach that Marx. He doesn't buy the fact that ideologies are just illusions of thought that get passed by popularity. There has to be more concrete evidence.
As an imaginary relation, ideology is neither necessarily true nor necessarily false. It is simply an order of consciousness in which, as Althusser puts it in For Marx , the "practico-social function is more important than the theoretical function" (Althusser 1969, 231). Althusser believes that ideology is essential to human social formation. He believes through these ideologies men and women can find there place in society thus causing society and culture to grow.
I don't think Althusser necessarily believes that ideology is essential to human/ social formation. I think he still agrees with Marx in that certain ideologies catch on because they are the ideologies of the ruling class, forced upon the classes below. I don't think that he believes the average individual finds their place in society through ideologies, instead I think he more believes that the ideologies man creates represents the material conditions in which they live, to an extent.
ReplyDelete