26. So how does it come about
that on the strength of this definition we understand the word?
What’s the sign of someone’s
understanding a game? Can’t he learn a game by simply watching it being played?
Learning and speaking without explicit rules. We are always comparing language
with a game according to rules.
definitions are directives for
use –
understanding will come with use
how does it come about?
what it amounts – how it comes
about –
is the occasion for more language
use –
for proposals – propositions –
any proposal – any proposition –
will be a response to uncertainty
–
it may be useful – it may not –
language goes on without
definitiveness –
and any claim to definitiveness –
to certainty –
is rhetoric – plain and simple –
logically speaking any proposal –
is open to question –
open to doubt – uncertain
what’s the sign of someone’s
understanding a game?
in any final sense – we don’t
know –
we take what we are given –
and make a decision – one way or
the other
the truth is we use language –
without knowing
it is if you kike a logical
structure –
we climb along
we operate in contests of use –
and make decisions –
these decisions can be explained
in term of rules –
that is a common account –
an account that gives the
appearance of foundation –
to language to knowledge –
some find this pretence –
comforting
© greg t. charlton. 2014.
