[lit-ideas] Re: The Causal Theory of Perception
- From: Omar Kusturica <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2014 08:35:09 -0800 (PST)
Well, the early Wittgenstein appears to suggest that most philosophical
problems are created by misuse of language, and could be dismissed if only we
had some kind of language police to ensure that the language is used properly.
I am not convinced that, for example, the issue of the nature of perception is
created by misuse of language; in fact it is relevant to empirical sciences in
various ways. An ophthalmologist presumably doesn't think that the problems of
her profession are created by misuse of language, and neither do her patients.
And presumably an ophthalmologist doesn't seek to dismiss these problems by
correcting the misuse of language, but to solve them by understanding the
processes. However, some of the issues may in fact involve semantic
conceptualization; for example, limited color vision cannot really be diagnosed
by a physical examination, but rather by showing various colors to the patient
and asking him to identify them verbally. A
semantic analysis of color names and how they are used might help here. Thus,
linguistic analysis has its uses, but it is not everything, and it should not
presume either to definitely resolve philosophical problems or to summarily
dismiss them.
O.K.
On Tuesday, February 4, 2014 2:01 PM, Donal McEvoy <donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
It is patent nonsense to say language goes on a holiday. Animals and plants and
language and buses and shops never go on a holiday. Only humans go on a
holiday. (And the suggestion that language goes on a holiday is itself language
on a holiday - or not, as it cannot go on one [especially if a passport is
needed]).
More seriously: to the extent that "objects" in the 'external world' and their
causal affects on the 'internal world' of experience are all independent of
language, then the fact of the matter, as to whether such "objects" have such
affects, is language-independent.
We can thus add it to the list Popper presented at the Moral Sciences Club to
Wittgenstein of problems that cannot be dissolved merely by analysis of
language or which are constituted merely by misuse of
language.
Is anyone seriously going to suggest questions of fact, like whether humans
evolved from creatures that existed millions of years ago, arise only because
of misuse of language? Or can be dissolved as problems that disappear when we
no longer misuse language?
Why should we think that it is not a question of fact whether there is an
'internal world' of experience distinct from an 'external world' of "objects"?
And why should we think such a question of fact arises merely from misuse of
language or can be dissolved so that it disappears when we no longer misuse
language?
In addition to these general remarks, we might add that to make out a case in
terms of the quotations from Wittgenstein it is not enough to issue these
quotations as if we are quoting from the Gospel and that is that: to make a
case out we need to work through specific examples that illustrate the
application of the quotations, and Chris' post does not offer
anything specific to illustrate any specific misuse of language by anybody in
this thread.
Donal
London
On Tuesday, 4 February 2014, 11:55, "cblists@xxxxxxxx" <cblists@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
An exercise for the reader - choose the quotation from Wittgenstein most
appropriate to recent discussion on this list.
1. "Philosophical problems arise when language goes on holiday."
2. "Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means
of our language."
3. "This fellow isn't insane. We are only doing philosophy."
Chris Bruce,
off to Bremen on Thursday, but
currently packing at home, in
Kiel, Germany
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