The Barber: Besides providing the place for it, I think I know what my role is in this conversation. Our esteemed counsel explained to us to why lawyers need a theory of the case when they to go court, so here’s my rhetorical question: Socrates, why do Black people need a political “theory of the case”?
Socrates: Let’s start with defining what a theory is, and we’ll do that by explaining what a theory isn’t. Most of our discussions and debate here are based on whether we think a certain hypothesis is true. A hypothesis is a supposition or proposed explanation of something made based on limited evidence. You could think of it as an informed opinion or an educated guess.
I was wanting something more cogent on why it’s a mandatory prerequisite that Black political leadership have a political theory of the case. – The Barber
A Customer: So, when Mike is explaining something in the American, what he’s explaining is his hypothesis about why the thing is the way it is. Is a hypothesis always true?
Socrates: A hypothesis can be true, but there’s no irrefutable proof that it’s true. If you think the person is knowledgeable about the subject, their argument is rational and logical, and you trust them, you can choose to agree with it.
Customer: What’s a theory then, cause I kinda thought what you just described as a hypothesis, was what I thought a theory was.
Socrates: That’s a common assumption most people make all the time, and, in everyday life, it doesn’t matter. For what we’re trying to do here though, the difference matters. For scientists, a theory is a well substantiated explanation of some aspects of the natural world. The Oxford dictionary would say it’s a supposition or set of ideas intended to explain something or a set of principles on which an activity is based. A theory is an explanation based on verifiable or validated facts, it can be presumed to be true, until it’s proven untrue. It becomes untrue if there’s a material change in the facts. Einstein said if the facts don’t fit the theory, you gotta change the theory.
Socrates: So, my young Brotha, how would you define or explain a theory?
HBCU Student: Well Socrates, I’d say it’s a set of ideas that explains reality or some part of reality. Also, people use their understanding of that reality that the theory gives them to direct or guide their actions or activity. The more people that accept a theory the greater the likelihood of coordination or cooperation because they have a mutual understanding of the reality they share.
Socrates: What say you Counselor?
The Lawyer: I’ll stipulate that definition, in fact it’s an excellent working definition for this conversation. Well done!
HBCU Student: Before you move on Socrates, I got a question?
Socrates: Ask away my young Brotha!
HBCU Student: As long as we’ve been in America trying to figure this out, how come we’ve never had a political theory of the case for Black America?
Socrates: Well, you see….
Old School: Socrates don’t, I got this!
Socrates: Go head on then playa. And my young Brotha get out that notebook you’re always carrying around, cause whatever he says, you need to write.
Old School: Here’s what you couldn’t know because your generation has never seen it, and my generation is gonna have to answer to the Ancestors for our negligence in your preparation.
Would I be correct in assuming you know and have read W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, MLK and Malcolm, Carmichael and Hamilton, Derrick Bell, among others
HBCU Student: Yes sir.
Old School: All of them are Black intellectuals, who were also activists, developing and articulating a political theory that explains the condition of Black people in America. For 100 years after the Civil War, we had robust and vibrant community wide multilevel intellectual dialogues about this question.
HBCU Student: Then respectfully sir, what the hell has happened to us?
Old School: Well Mike has a hypothesis (our word of the day) about that very question. I’m certain Socrates will address it at some point, after he finishes laying the foundation for this conversation.
Socrates: Thank you for the assistance my old friend. I ask for your patience, my young Brotha, we’ll get there, but right now we gotta go slow, so we can go fast later. To bring closure to this, Barber, have we satisfactorily answered your question?
The Barber: In general terms yeah, it advances the conversation, but I was wanting something more cogent on why it’s a mandatory prerequisite that Black political leadership have a political theory of the case.
Socrates: I know you’re a student of the Italian Renaissance, and I got the perfect answer that summarizes the why of that question. I’m gonna let your main man, Leonardo de Vince, take us home.“He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast.”
To be continued…