Regressus ET reflexivity: Belletristic semantique problematique, ET dissimulare

The paper attempts interrogation of theoretics in the present: “theory in its selective tradition” (Williams, 1989), to highlight major departures of the said genre from the past writings in the domain, which were liberal, democratic, egalitarian, dialogic, and interacted to continue extended dialogue with earlier prevailing thought. Such writings interacted by attempting to comprehend the earlier insights and negotiated amendments, elaborations, and even transformations, where needed. However, in the “selective tradition” such features have receded and combative politics, coupled with irresolution, dissembling, with insurrectionary core are present predominantly. Eschewing telos, with mere negotiations, always (!) in the interstices, to proclaim genesis through rupture, wherein abstention from former insights is the prominent feature. This is not restricted to one or two theorists, but extends across the spectrum. There is recursivity and reflexivity, turning regressive, severed from praxis, wherein political remains restricted only to its articulation, without connecting with organization(s) so as to be transformative and melioristic. Here, there is theoretical rigour, per se. The intention in the paper is as Brandom (1994) says, to make it “explicit”.