Unity of Logic, Epistemology and Dialectics

The principle of the relationship between subjective dialectics and objective dialectics in Marxist philosophy. Dialectical materialism determines subjective dialectics from objective dialectics. Starting from the basic principle that subjective dialectics is the reflection of objective dialectics, it emphasizes the unity of dialectics, epistemology and logic, and its foundation is the developing material world. Materialist dialectics is not only the law of the development of objective things, but also the law of cognition and the law of dialectical development of thinking. Dialectics, epistemology and logic are unified and consistent on the basis of practice.

Marx and Engels critically inherited Hegel’s dialectics and expounded the consistency of logic, epistemology and dialectics on the basis of practice. Marx pointed out: In Hegel’s view, the thinking process, that is, the thinking process that he even transformed into an independent subject under the name of concept, is the creator of the real things, while the real things are only the external manifestation of the thinking process. In my opinion, the opposite is true. What is conceptual is nothing more than material things that have been moved into and transformed into people’s minds. The concept in our mind is a reflection of the real things. Dialectics is a science about the external world and the general laws of human thinking movement. Although the external world and human thinking are different in form, the two series of laws are essentially the same. The dialectics of concept itself becomes only a conscious reflection of the dialectical movement of the real world, thus Hegel’s dialectics is reversed. Materialist dialectics founded by Marx and Engels embodies the consistency of logic, epistemology and dialectics. Lenin fully affirmed Marx’s theoretical contributions to materialist dialectics, epistemology and logic. He pointed out that although Marx did not leave behind “logic”, he left behind the logic of Capital and should make full use of this logic to solve this problem. In Capital, materialistic logic, dialectics and epistemology (unnecessary three words: they are the same thing) are all applied to a science. This materialism absorbs all valuable things from Hegel and develops these valuable things. Capital is a scientific paradigm in which Marx unifies dialectics, epistemology and logic in theoretical research and practice. The consistency between dialectics and epistemology is an important principle of dialectical materialism. (1) The consistency between materialist dialectics and epistemology lies in the fact that the dialectics of knowledge originates from the dialectics of objective things and the two reach unity on the basis of practice. Lenin said that dialectics itself includes what is now called epistemology, which should also observe its own objects historically, study and summarize the origin and development of knowledge and the transformation from ignorance to knowledge. The general law revealed by materialist dialectics is also the general law of cognition. (2)Materialist dialectics runs through the whole process of cognition. Not only does epistemology always contain materialist dialectics, but cognitive dialectics is the embodiment of materialist dialectics. (3) Materialist dialectics is a tool for scientific understanding and Marxist epistemology. Lenin pointed out that dialectics is also the epistemology of Marxism, which is the “one aspect” of the problem (this is not one aspect of the problem, but the essence of the problem). Plekhanov did not notice, let alone other Marxists. Lenin stressed the internal consistency between dialectics and epistemology.

The consistency of dialectics and logic. It is shown as follows: (1) The thinking content of dialectical logic is the reflection of objective dialectics. Dialectical logic, as a reflection of objective dialectics, cannot truly reveal the objective content of conceptual dialectics if it is separated from the contradictory movement of objective things revealed by materialist dialectics. Lenin pointed out that the relation of concepts = logic (= transition = contradiction) is the main content, and these concepts (and their relation, transition and contradiction) are expressed as the reflection of the objective world. Dialectics of things, dialectics of creative ideas. (2) The dialectical nature of logical thinking forms and methods is the logical expression of the laws of dialectics. The formation and application of abstract concepts already contain views, opinions and consciousness about the regularity of the objective connection of the world. Therefore, the study of dialectical logic on thinking forms and methods must be guided by materialist dialectics. (3) Dialectical logic is an important content of materialist dialectics, which in a certain sense is logic. Materialist dialectics runs through the development process of nature, society and human thinking. If it is not carried out in the development of human thinking, it cannot be a complete and thorough dialectics. All laws and categories of materialist dialectics are of logical significance.

The consistency of epistemology and logic. The manifestation is that epistemology and logic are both based on dialectical materialism. The concept and category of human cognition and logic are all reflections of objective things and a dialectical development process in practice. Lenin pointed out that logic is a theory about cognition, which is epistemology. Cognition is the reflection of human beings to nature. However, this is not a simple, direct and complete reflection, but a series of abstract processes, i.e. the formation and formation of concepts, laws, etc. These concepts and laws (thinking, science = “logical concepts”) conditionally approximate to grasp the universal laws of nature that are constantly moving and developing. Logic, as a theory about cognition, is epistemology. Dialectical materialist epistemology is a science that studies human cognition and its development law. It inevitably includes dialectical logic. Therefore, dialectical logic is also dialectical materialist epistemology.

Marxist philosophy has realized the unity of dialectics, epistemology and logic on the basis of materialism. The three reflect the laws of the real world from different fields and perspectives. Although they are different in form, they are essentially the same. Mastering this principle helps us to apply materialist dialectics, creatively engage in epistemology and logic research, and improve our theoretical thinking ability and understanding level. It is conducive to the scientific application of the laws and categories of materialist dialectics in practice and to consciously act in accordance with objective laws.