63. “How does one think a
proposition? How does thought use its expression?”
Let’s compare belief with the utterance of a sentence: the processes in
the larynx etc. accompany the spoken sentence which alone interests us – not as
part of the mechanism, but as part of the calculus.
We think we can describe thought after the event because the delicate
processes have been lost sight of.
What is the function of thought? Its effect
does not interest us.
“How does one think a
proposition? How does thought use its expression?”
let’s be clear here ‘thinking’ and ‘thought’ are propositions – are
proposals –
if we ask – ‘how does one think a proposition?’ –
what we are doing is proposing – in relation to the proposition
and again – ‘how does thought use its expression?’ –
what we have here the proposal – ‘thought and its expression’ – and the
question of use
‘thinking’, ‘thought’ ‘expression’ are proposals for dealing with the
reality that we face – even – some would say – the reality that we are –
the reality we face – the reality that we are – independent of any
proposal – is unknown
we propose – we make propositions – in order to know – in order to make
what we face – negotiable –
and any proposal that we advance – that we use – that we rely on –
any ontology – is open to question – to doubt – is uncertain –
yes you can propose in relation to thinking – thought – expression – and
develop a theory – a way of understanding that suits you – that works for you –
however form a logical point of view – all you have is a series of
inter-connected proposals
‘let’s compare belief with
the utterance of a sentence: the processes in the larynx etc. accompany the
spoken sentence which alone interests us – not as part of the mechanism, but as
part of the calculus’?
the ‘calculus’ here – is a theory of
propositional logic – a description
what really interests us is not – any description applied to
propositional behaviour –
but rather that the proposition – the proposal – is open to question –
open to doubt –
is uncertain
and further that our reality – is in so far as it is known – is purely
propositional
this is what we need to focus on
‘we think we can describe thought after the event because the delicate
processes have been lost sight of’?
look what we deal with is what is proposed – when it is proposed –
this ‘delicate processes (that) have been lost sight of’ –
is again – an attempt to account for the proposition – in terms of some
theory – some proposal –
all very well – but the real deal is what is proposed – not some account
of it –
explanation is logical back-sliding
‘what is the function of thought? Its effect does not interest us’
thought is a proposal –
as to its function – that is a matter for speculation
© greg t. charlton. 2014.
