https://www.cairn-int.info/abstract-E_MULT_021_0179--on-aleatory-materialism-1986.htm
What does Althusser mean by ‘aleatory materialism, or Marxism of encounter’? (ChatGPT, 2024-6-29)
Louis Althusser's concept of "aleatory materialism" or "Marxism of encounter" represents a significant shift in his thinking, particularly in the latter part of his career. This concept challenges deterministic and teleological interpretations of Marxism. Here are the key points to understand this idea:
### 1. Aleatory Materialism Defined
- **Aleatory Materialism:** The term "aleatory" comes from the Latin word "alea," meaning "dice" or "chance." Aleatory materialism emphasizes the role of contingency, chance, and unpredictable encounters in the development of history and social formations.
- **Rejecting Determinism:** Althusser's aleatory materialism rejects the deterministic view that history follows a predetermined path or inevitable laws. Instead, it highlights the contingent and unpredictable nature of historical processes.
### 2. The Role of Encounters
- **Encounters and Conjunctions:** Althusser posits that social structures and historical events result from encounters and conjunctions of diverse and often unrelated elements. These encounters can lead to the formation of new structures or the transformation of existing ones.
- **Contingency in History:** Historical developments are seen as the outcome of multiple, contingent encounters rather than the unfolding of a predetermined historical necessity. This perspective allows for the possibility of multiple outcomes and the role of chance in shaping history.
### 3. Influence of Epicureanism
- **Epicurean Influence:** Althusser draws inspiration from the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, particularly his notion of the "clinamen" or "swerve." In Epicurean physics, atoms fall through the void and occasionally swerve unpredictably, leading to encounters that form the basis of all phenomena. Althusser uses this metaphor to describe the unpredictable encounters that shape social and historical realities.
- **Lucretius' Influence:** The Roman poet Lucretius, a follower of Epicurus, also influences Althusser’s thinking. Lucretius' work "De Rerum Natura" (On the Nature of Things) explores how random atomic swerves create the world, which resonates with Althusser’s concept of aleatory materialism.
### 4. Implications for Marxism
- **Non-Teleological Marxism:** By emphasizing contingency and encounter, Althusser's aleatory materialism offers a non-teleological interpretation of Marxism. It moves away from the idea that history is inevitably moving towards a specific end, such as the realization of communism.
- **Agency and Structure:** This perspective also opens up space for human agency and the role of social struggles in shaping history. While structural conditions and material realities influence outcomes, they do not determine them in a linear or inevitable fashion.
- **Open-Ended History:** Aleatory materialism views history as open-ended, with multiple possible trajectories. It recognizes that while certain structures and forces shape historical developments, their outcomes are not fixed and can be influenced by unforeseen events and actions.
### 5. Critique and Potential
- **Critique of Dogmatism:** Althusser’s aleatory materialism is a critique of dogmatic and rigid interpretations of Marxism that fail to account for the complexities and unpredictability of real historical processes.
- **Reinvigorating Marxism:** By introducing the concept of chance and encounter, Althusser aims to reinvigorate Marxist theory, making it more adaptable to the complexities of contemporary social and political realities.
### Conclusion
Louis Althusser's "aleatory materialism" or "Marxism of encounter" emphasizes the role of contingency, chance, and unpredictable encounters in shaping history and social structures. This approach challenges deterministic and teleological views of history, advocating for a more open-ended and flexible understanding of historical processes. By incorporating these ideas, Althusser seeks to renew Marxist theory, making it more responsive to the complexities and uncertainties of the real world.
