[Wittrs] Kirby's Comment on Analytic Philosophy

  • From: Sean Wilson <whoooo26505@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 22:14:52 -0700 (PDT)

Kirby writes: "I'd say already more core philo goes on in television today than 
most analytic philosophers have seen to remark on, a ding to future 
relevance perhaps."


I'm in San Francisco, chairing a Law and Language panel (among 
others). http://convention3.allacademic.com/one/lsa/lsa11/index.php?click_key=1&cmd=Multi+Search+View+Program+Load+Box+To+View&program_box_id=100323&PHPSESSID=223488b9f5efddacfd4a0c932abfce2a

Today was interesting, because just about every member had taken a critical 
stance toward analytic language games. One, in particular, had taken a 
particular dislike of Hohfeldian analytic terms (which function in law worse 
than "bachelor" in the hands of these fools). But, his method of showing this 
was akin to a proof: sort of like saying, "that because of the Pope, 'bachelor' 
as an arithmetic had to fail." 

I had to remind him of what a good Wittgensteinian would say: that when 
one erects a volley-ball net in an open field, the net isn't invalid; it's 
merely home to whatever use a field with a net has for that moment (that 
activity). 

His complaint wasn't with "bachelor," of course, it was with Hohfeldian 
formality: http://academic.regis.edu/jriley/Hofeldian%20Terminology.htm ;. His 
central premise was that every duty became a power,therefore invalidating 
Hohfeldian-speak. My point was that the fact that he could say that very 
sentence was proof that Hofeldian grammar could be understood and used in the 
language game, and that, as such, it was useful for making sentences just like 
that. Analytic definitions aren't invalid; they are toys. It's no different 
than whether you get at something with a spoon or a fork. Whatever gets it done.

Anyway, my real point to you is this: analytic formalism received a rather 
severe beating today at the legal conference. And Wittgenstein dominated the 
news. I take great pride in showing people Wittgensteinian maneuvers -- 
especially lawyers and political scientists -- because I believe it helps 
spread the word. 
 
Yours, rambling over nothing.

Dr. Sean Wilson, Esq.
Assistant Professor
Wright State University
Personal Website: http://seanwilson.org
SSRN papers: http://tinyurl.com/3eatnrx
Wittgenstein Discussion: http://seanwilson.org/wiki/doku.php?id=wittrs

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