[lit-ideas] Show and tell
- From: Donal McEvoy <donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 22:19:39 +0100 (BST)
(According to the most cogent reading of the Tractatus) every proposition in
the Tractatus is an example of statements, or pseudo-statements if you will,
that
show the truth but say nothing with sense (as only the propositions of
the natural sciences say anything with sense, and the propositions of
the Tractatus are not propositions of the natural sciences).
In Investigations the various remarks about how "sense" is taught [how we learn
names, how we learn the sequence of natural numbers, how we learn the sense of
"Take n and continue to add 2" etc.] are part of showing how "sense" is shown -
rather than said.
As
to how we would further explicate the distinction, I think we must take
seriously that the say/shown distinction is a distinction that can at
best be shown - we cannot capture it in language so that we reach a
point where we may conclude "There we have said, in a way that captures it in
language,what constitutes the distinction between saying and showing."
Wittgenstein
did not believes such a point could ever be reached. In both the earlier and
later philosophy, his view is that the saying/showing distinction
may only be shown.
Dnl
Ldn
On Wednesday, 7 May 2014, 21:06, Omar Kusturica <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Well, it could hardly have been literally believed even in the Middle Ages that
the people with visible blue veins had 'blue blood', since after all they bled
just like anyone else. It's a metaphorical expression, I'd think.
O.K.
On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 7:59 PM, Redacted sender Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx for DMARC
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
My last post today!
>
>----
>
>
>When virtuous love is sought
>Thy power is naught,
>Though dating from the flood,
>Blue blood!
>
>
>Blue blood
>
>--
>
>is parodied by Sir W. S. Gilbert in the BALLAD by LORD TOLLOLLER in
>"Iolanthe", but the idea may belong in population genetics alla Sykes and
>Oppenheimer!?
>
>"Blue blood", qua phrase, is first recorded in 1834.
>
>I would argue that at the time, the expression carried NO implicature:
>
>"He has, literally, blue blood."
>
>The idiom allegedly originates from ancient European society, which
>distinguished an upper class (whose superficial veins are blue -- as was, it
>was
>thought, the blood running within them -- through their untanned skin) from
>a working class of the time.
>
>The latter consisted mainly of agricultural peasants who spent most of
>their time working outdoors and thus had tanned skin, through which the
>superficial blue veins appear less prominently.
>
>It was also assumed, on top of that, that the blood of those belonging to
>the working class was plain red, rather than blue (but oddly, 'His blood is
>red' seems then to carry no conversational implicature (+> "He belongs to
>the working-class").
>
>Ancient and medieval geneticists believed that an aristocrat's blood was
>blue, and not plain red.
>
>An ancient or mediaeval nobleman would demonstrate ('show' rather than
>say) his pedigree by holding up his sword arm to display the filigree of
>blue-blooded veins beneath his pale skin. In Griceian terms, the noblemean
>thought that this 'meant' (naturally) or was indicative proof that his birth
>had
>not been contaminated.
>
>Cheers
>
>Speranza
>
>Spurn not the nobly born
>With love affected,
>Nor treat with virtuous scorn
>The well connected.
>High rank involves no shame
>We boast an equal claim
>With him of humble name
>To be respected!
>Blue blood ! blue blood!
>When virtuous love is sought
>Thy power is naught,
>Though dating from the flood,
>Blue blood!
>CHORUS. Blue blood! Blue blood! &c.
>Spare us the bitter pain
>Of stern denials,
>Nor with lowborn disdain
>Augment our trials.
>Hearts just as pure and fair
>May beat in Belgrave Square
>As in the lowly air
>Of Seven Dials!
>Blue blood ! Blue blood!
>Of what avail art thou
>To serve us now?
>Though dating from the flood,
>Blue blood!
>CHORUS. Blue blood! Blue blood! &c.
>
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