propositional realities

‘The sign ( the sentence) gets its signification from the system of signs, from the language to which it belongs. Roughly: understanding a sentence means understanding a language.

As part of the system of language, one my say the sentence has life. But one is tempted to imagine that that which gives the sentence life as something in an occult sphere, accompanying the sentence. But whatever accompanied it would for us just be another sign.'

- Wittgenstein: The Blue Book.

when we make statements – about the world –

in general – we operate within accepted propositional practise –

in terms of propositional categories that are in use –

that it is assumed are understood

you may ask –

well surely our propositions refer to a non-propositional reality?

i.e. – a world of objects –

the notion of an ‘objective reality’ – is a proposal –

a proposal that is virtually universally accepted –

which is to say – in just about all contexts of use –

it has proved to be very useful

still it is – when all is said and done – a proposal –

subjective reality – is in the same boat

what we have with such propositional use –

is not non-propositional realities –

but rather propositional constructs

constructs upon constructs –

and constructs within constructs

the object of all propositional action –

of all propositional construct –

is the unknown

in response to the unknown we propose –

and in response to what is proposed – we propose

and so it goes – we make – we construct –

and any propositional action we take –

any construct we make – or operate within –

is open to question –

open to doubt

© greg t. charlton. 2014.