With a tip of the hat to Walter, who noticed that I might have been wanting to send this to the list. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John McCreery <john.mccreery@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 8:12 AM Subject: Re: [lit-ideas] Why philosophy? To: wokshevs@xxxxxx On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 3:29 AM, <wokshevs@xxxxxx> wrote: I find that there is much here that repays careful reflection and analysis. > But > why JM subsequently describes himself as a "professional sophist" remains a > mystery to me. As we have no privileged self-access to our > self-attributions, > attempts at resolving the mystery are certainly open to all and welcomed. > Surely Walter knows that I make a reasonably comfortable living working in and around the Japanese advertising industry. As a copywriter and creative director, it is my job to come up with ways for purveyors of products and services to present them, using all of the modes of classical rhetoric: facts and logic if possible, but always character and trope. As a supplier of "value-added translation" my task is similar; to take the words with which our clients present us and translate them in a way that maximizes their appeal. My pragmatism is a way of life, constantly looking for something that works a bit better than whatever else is on the table. Always aware, moreover, that once used, an idea must be left to lie fallow, until a new twist or occasion can be found. Clients pay for what they perceive as fresh and original, not for what the other guy did just the other day. A sophist I am, I embrace the role. And I have my professional standards. Check out http://www.talentzoo.com/website/columns/ColumnContent.aspx?Id=2118 or Google "John McCreery Talent Zoo"; any and all comments welcome. John -- John McCreery The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN Tel. +81-45-314-9324 http://www.wordworks.jp/ -- John McCreery The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN Tel. +81-45-314-9324 http://www.wordworks.jp/