From: Paul Turner (paul@turnerbc.co.uk)
Date: Wed Aug 18 2004 - 22:08:57 BST
Hi Platt
Platt said:
I think you have a problem when you try to set forth a philosophy that
doesn't use our language as constructed. To say the "language can remain
as long as we understand that it is not philosophically correct" puts an
unnecessary burden on the reader. Better I think to use language that is
both lexicographically and philosophically correct.
Paul:
I'm not saying that the propositions of the MOQ cannot be expressed with
philosophical correctness. What I mean is that everyday statements, in
everyday use, such as, "I sat on a hot stove and it was painful," need
not be changed because, even though they express metaphysical
assumptions which the MOQ denies, the outcome is generally the same. I
just think you cannot use such everyday statements in a philosophical
argument as if the statement is a de facto representation of reality,
which is what you seemed to be doing.
When analysing something philosophically, then the assumptions made by
the MOQ need to be introduced and more carefully constructed. Even then,
once the MOQ assumptions are understood by all parties I think everyday
language can be used to a degree to relay the ideas more easily, as is
done in LILA. Pirsig says something in LILA about the problem of "having
to resolve metaphysical disputes at the end of every sentence" when a
basic understanding of metaphysical terms and assumptions hasn't been
achieved prior to discussion.
Perhaps we have not found the balance yet with our discussions of the
MOQ?
Regards
Paul
P.S. Other philosophers have suggested major changes to language. E.g.
David Bohm proposed something called "rheomode." Doug Renselle
(quantonics.com) has started a "language remediation" section on his
website. Personally, I think this puts even more of a wall around the
ideas, which is what I mean when I say that tangling everyday language
with the sometimes technical language of philosophy may reduce the value
of both - you lose the ability of everyday communication and make your
ideas impenetrable.
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