[this is from a bit of a letter i wrote to a philosophy pal of mine, we’re considering doing a directed reading together for our theses. this letter is a kind of case being made for wittgenstein being so important to me.]
Justin,
Facebook chess has been absolutely amazing by the way, I know I’m shit at it, but it’s still a lot of fun. Otherwise, I hope you’re keeping well.
I’m pretty excited about potentially working on something with/along side you next year. It’s been a bit difficult being away from school, and it’s upsetting that even more of the people I know and enjoy will be gone next year! In regards to Wittgenstein, I have no issues with telling you that it’s probably just a bit of a philosophy crush. For whatever reason, Wittgenstein just sticks with me. Although his outlook is somewhat original, and his methods of presentation, and the overall lore surrounding him is novel and interesting (both in terms of his ‘cult’ following, and otherwise) the ultimate ideas he presents and put forward are not very new at all. I think Wittgenstein is instead important because of the way in which he comes across these ideas, the context in which he is looking at them, and why he remains so difficult to read given the countless veins of thought that call him their originator. To me, he’s a bit like an Abraham, if I can put it so dramatically (and almost comically).
The central idea, and criticism that Wittgenstein has is that the external/internal divide is a misguided one. When speaking, when thinking, in terms of morality or metaphysics, everything we ‘get’ comes from the same ‘place’. This, supplemented with some interesting insight into the sceptical nature of consciousness and a nice articulation of ‘meaning as use’ is why, I think, he’s so interesting.
… Continue reading ‘Why Wittgenstein’
 
The fourth letter to my nana where there is an apology about the fourth letter not including pictures of the kansai, but an explanation that they will be coming soon.
Christmas in japan is stranger than it is back home. However, they have more reason for it to be a consumer holiday than ‘westerners’ do…
Speaking of consumerism, I talk a bit about my newest purchase/favourite thing in japan, the kotatsu and the strangely cold-but-not-canada-cold japanese winter.
I mention seeing a punk show, in particular a band called Blue III, and also some troubles with eating vegetarian in japan, and in general missing being looked after in terms of my meals.
Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
I came across this documentary from ‘Best Free Documentaries‘ which I like mostly for their BBC docs on philosophers, but this one has really peaked my interest. Wanting A Deaf Baby is a documentation of a deaf couple’s pregnancy, and their interest in having their child grow up being a non-hearing person.
My favourite line in the whole thing is when they speak to the fellow who is going to be interpreting their wedding, and in discussing the preferred volume of music for them to enjoy the vibrations, he says; “If I know the deaf, they’ll just be talking anyway”.
Not only is it interesting on a dramatic level that this couple is interested in having their baby be what would normally be thought of as ‘impaired’, but what it really makes clear is how a language, and a form of communication constitutes entirely ones life. It questions entirely what a language is, and what it means to have a culture, or a way of life.
Continue reading ‘Thoughts on Culture: Wanting a Deaf Baby’
In thinking about the difference between mind and body, internal and external, consciousness and the world and how they further relate to the epistemic foundations of knowledge we’ve been discussing so far in the A Cat Named Schrödinger series. In particular the issues raised in the comments of the most recent Mk II apply to these overall notions of epistemology. By clarifying the problems of knowledge, or at least attempting to clarify them, it will further give us an idea of how to go about systems of social and political ways of living.
I’d like to make the case that there is no real distinction between mind and body, mind and world, or any inside and outside dichotomy. In order to show this, it requires a great deal of work in regard to foundationalism, and epistemology. Epistemology is the study of the base forms of knowledge. It is the area of philosophy that deals with the question “What can we know?” In doing so, we are opened to the foundations of knowledge, and all of those things assumed as the first premises. The issue of course, being that these premises are up for grabs themselves.
In working toward an understanding of epistemological foundations, let’s look at the grand-daddy of them all, Rene Descartes and The Meditations. The central claim in the Second Meditation is “Cogito Ergo Sum”, or “I Think Therefore I Am”. Often touted as a kind of self-help mantra whereby your willing something to be the case makes it the case, this conception is entirely missing the substance of Cartesian epistemology.
… Continue reading ‘A Cat Named Schrödinger Mk III: “Cogito Ergo Sum”’
- A Misunderstood Lion
- An Awkward, Aborted Hug
- The giant wave from ‘The Day After Tomorrow’
- Captain N
- Ubuntu flavoured Linux
- A High-Five that didn’t quite Connect Properly
- Descartes’ Thought Experiment
- George McFly
- A Pen that has Run Out of Ink
- A $200 Glass Deductible Car Insurance Policy
- Juergen Habermas
- An NES Cartridge that only blinks a Grey Screen
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