393. The sentence “I know that that’s a tree” if it were
said outside its language-game, might also be a quotation (from an English
grammar-book perhaps). – “But suppose I mean it while I am saying it? The old
misunderstanding about the concept ‘mean’.
‘I know’ – is a claim to an authority for a sentence –
the only authority – is authorship –
claiming authorship of your sentence –
is unnecessary and irrelevant
beyond authorship – any claim to authority –
is rhetorical
‘I know’ – transforms any sentence it prefaces –
into rhetoric
saying to yourself – or to others – ‘I mean it’ –
is just another piece of rhetoric
drop the rhetoric and you have the unadulterated sentence –
‘that’s a tree’ –
and really – logically – that all you need –
you make your assertion –
it’s either assented to – for whatever reason –
or dissented from – for whatever reason
get into the business of persuading –
yourself – or others –
if that’s what you want to do –
but persuasion is not logic –
its rhetoric
© greg t. charlton. 2010.
