'For the person or persons that hold dominion, can no more combine with the keeping up of majesty the running with harlots drunk or naked about the streets, or the performances of a stage player, or the open violation or contempt of laws passed by themselves than they can combine existence with non-existence'.

- Benedict de Spinoza. Political Treatise. 1677.




Monday, November 10, 2014

Philosophical Grammar 34


34. “We could understand a penholder too, if we had given it a meaning.” Does the understanding contain the whole system of its application?

When I read a sentence with understanding something happens: perhaps a picture comes into my mind. But before we call “understanding” is related to countless things that happen before  and after the reading of this sentence.

When I don’t understand a sentence – that can be different things in different cases.

“understanding a word” – that is infinitely various.



perhaps understanding is infinitely various –

perhaps it is not –

when I understand a word –

do I understand an infinite variety of meanings?

the real point here is –

that just what understanding is – is uncertain

we come at it with various proposals 

and any of these proposals –

are open to question

we operate in uncertainty – with uncertainty –

and I would say –

this epistemological reality –

is the source of our vitality –

and our creativity



© greg t. charlton. 2014.