[lit-ideas] Re: Language, Justice and Social Practices (long)

  • From: Walter Okshevsky <wokshevs@xxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 15:40:32 -0230 (NDT)

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005, Donal McEvoy wrote:

> Walter Okshevsky wrote:
> > >
> > > "I would think that without some name, we would not be able to mark the
> > > conceptual differentiations necessary for the identification and
> > > understanding of any single concept."
>
> Unless this is taken somewhat tautologously [ie. 'to conceptualise in
> language we need a concept in a language'] it is surely false: consider:-
> Walter enters a room empty except for a curtain draped over a chair. He takes
> in its folds and crevices. He leaves. On returning he sees the curtain has
> been shifted slightly - because the folds etc. are not the same. Yet though
> this thought is easy and correct Walter lacks a 'concept' or 'name' to mark
> out the "differentiations necessary" and would be hard pressed to describe
> exactly what the difference was - just as we would be hardpressed to
> describe, in language that conveyed it precisely to a non-observer, what each
> of us might instantly take in as observable differences between two such
> curtains draped over chairs.
>
> Donal
> Loondoom

The phrase "what each of us might instantly take in as observable
differences" is used with fear and trembling by cops, philosophers, astute
jurors, journalists, strippers, Jungian analysts and (successful) chess
players.  Cheers, Walter

P.S. Women have oft told me I don't know how to make a bed.
(Please read the preceeding words carefully given possibilities for
observable differences.)  Clearly, their concept of a crease differs from
mine. (And, yes, we can call a "crease" anything you like, for what's in
a name, anyway?)

Walter O


"Arguments are to be avoided. They are always vulgar and often
convincing." Oscar
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