Philosophical Grammar 131

131. The comparison between memory and a notebook.

How did I read off from the memory image that I stood thus at the window yesterday?

What made you so certain when you spoke those words? Nothing; I was certain.

How do I react to a memory?

‘The comparison between memory and a notebook’?

is the comparison between different propositions  –

the one described in terms of memory – the other in terms of a physical object – the note book –

we have two propositions with different provenances –

different back stories –

whatever the philosophical history of a proposition –

whatever philosophical clothing it wears –

as a proposition – it is open to question – open to doubt –

any comparison between the two – will at the very least illustrate that there is no one way of approaching – of describing – our experience – our reality

we have developed different propositional forms to deal with a reality – that in the absence of proposal – is unknown

we approach the unknown with uncertainty – and in so doing create and explore possibilities –

the result – a rich and fascinating human reality

‘How did I read off from the memory image that I stood thus at the window yesterday?

it is not that ‘I read off from the memory image’ –

it might indeed seem that way – be often represented that way – I may represent it to myself that way

logically it is the other way around –

there is the initial proposal – ‘I stood thus at the window yesterday’ –

I put forward the memory proposal – to account for the initial proposal

‘What made you so certain when you spoke those words? Nothing; I was certain’?

a proposition is open to question – open to doubt – is uncertain

the claim of certainty has no basis in logic

it’s basis is just plain ignorance – or it is a con – a rhetorical con

does anyone seriously suggest that memory is a repository of certainty?

How do I react to a memory?

you can react logically i.e. with common sense – and  regard a ‘memory proposal’ – as open to question open to doubt – as uncertain –

or you can be ignorant and not question

we do both

© greg t. charlton. 2015.