Richard Rorty’s philosophical papers vol.1 - the introduction
my view is that the object of knowledge is the unknown
that ‘objective’ reality is the unknown
given this – strictly speaking any characterization of the unknown – any description is valid
any such description is what I call second order
the first order account is the objective account
second order accounts are not true or false because they correspond or do not to the objective reality
the unknown – is just that
it is the ‘space’ for human conception and speculation
it does not adjudicate – it does not determine – it is silent
any decision about any conception – is a decision of the knower
and the ‘knower’ is the actor
put simply – one’s view of the world – if there is anything quite as defined and singular – is what enables or not – one to function
we have diverse views because the objective reality – is empty
our acts – and the conceptions that drive them are just our attempts to define – to determine
the act of determination here is to give character to the unknown
a conception that is true is one that enables us to proceed –
a false idea or view – is one that pulls us up
as to the final reason the final cause as to why anyone proceeds or halts – there is no ‘objective’ answer – there is only higher order descriptions
the point of these is to give action reason – and doing this is just providing a covering note
at any point in this process we are uncertain
this uncertainty is the reason to go on –
it is the source of all heuristics – all creativity
it is strictly speaking never diminished
we all get moments of relief – the illusion of knowledge – even sometimes certainty
‘certainty’ as a genuine notion is a second order stratagem
there are many human activities that proceed well with this strategy of certainty – mathematics as calculation is one such activity
the need for certainty is an emotional need
it is a response to the essential insecurity human beings experience
it is a strategy to deal with the unknown
reflection shows us that it is not first order based
this does not change the fact of need
we exist – we operate between first and second order ‘realities’ -
between the stark objective reality – that we don’t know – and the existential reality that we must know - in order to proceed
this contradiction is what it is to be human
if you are looking for the soul – it is between true and false
© greg. t. charlton. 2008.
