Philosophical Grammar 127

127. Can I think away the impression of individual familiarity where it exists; and think it into a situation where it does not? The difficulty is not a psychological one. We have not determined what that is to mean.

Can I look at a printed English word and see it as if it I hadn’t learnt to read?

I can ascribe meaning to a meaningless shape.

yes if you question – what you have come to know – if you doubt it – you can see it in a new light

seeing in a new light – is not being familiar

familiarity is a matter of non-critical propositional use –

a new situation – can be so transformed

behaviour is either logical – or not –

that’s psychology

‘Can I look at a printed English word and see it as if it I hadn’t learnt to read?’

not if you have just read it

‘I can ascribe meaning to a meaningless shape’?

well a shape is a shape – so in that respect – it’s not meaningless –

so you don’t here begin with meaninglessness –

you begin with the description ‘shape’

as to how you further describe this shape –

well whatever you come up with – will be open to question – to doubt – will be uncertain

you will work with whatever proposal – whatever proposition or set of propositions –

suit your purpose

© greg t. charlton. 2015.