From: Joe (jhmau@sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sat Aug 23 2003 - 18:49:34 BST
On 21 August 2003 2: 37 PM Matt writes:
Hi Matt,
> Joe said:
> Basically for me metaphysics is first knowledge, not a belief. I would
disagree with Wim's conclusion. So I am defining 'metaphysics' differently.
>
> Is it your opinon that knowledge is unstructured, and that there is no
first knowledge?
Matt:
My response to metaphysics-as-first-knowledge: ewwww, gross. As Pirsig
says, Aristotle defined metaphysics as "first philosophy" and philosophers
since then have bought into the notion that there should be a first
philosophy (the latest being Michael Dummett who thinks that philosophy of
language should be first). Pragmatists do not think there should be a first
philosophy, or first knowledge, because there is no non-circular argument
for which philosophy or which knowledge should be first. There is no agreed
upon criteria. Metaphysics as leading to first knowledge is the type of
traditional metaphysics that pragmatists would like us to leave for the
Greeks.
However, I do think knowledge is structured. It is structured by the
linguistic practices, the static patterns, that we inherit from our
predecessors. This is why many people call metaphysics a system of belief,
because it structures our beliefs. So, I think your question begs the
question because translated it says, "Either you don't think our beliefs can
be structured in a system, or you think you can answer the question, 'What
is real?'" Your question conflates the two definitions of metaphysics I
used in my last post.
joe: i want to talk about popular wisdom. "As the twig is bent, so grows
the tree!" "A chip off the old block doesn't have far to fall!" Concerning
attitudes: "At the birth of the baby someone in the room remarked: 'Ewww
what a mess you've made!'"
When I ask about first knowledge I get ewwww...! My first memories are
spotty, out of synch. Events I thought I remembered, my younger sister said
were reversed. My first experience of myself was running. Clump, clump,
clump in hightop shoes. I was alive and happy. Boy! was i running fast,
but was I clumsy.
My experience is that babies point a lot as though asking, Will that hurt
me? What is it? Or whatever? My youngest daughter watched the side of her
bassinet, as though watching the movement of presences invisible to me. I
do not think it is beyond the realm of possibility that my first knowledge
was of dq and sq.
Joe
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