Morally Neutral Knowledge (was: Fra yn �s �Copenhagen�

[cathy ramirez]

"Two things fill me with wonder,” Kant confessed: “the
starry sky above and the moral law within." 




Hitherto it has been assumed that all our knowledge
must conform to objects. But all attempts to extend
our knowledge of objects by establishing something in
regard to thema priori, by means of concepts, have, on
this assumption,ended in failure. We must therefore
make trial whether wemay not have more success in the
tasks of metaphysics, ifwe suppose that objects must
conform to our knowledge. This would agree better with
what is desired, namely, that it should be possible to
have knowledge of objects a priori, determining
something in regard to them prior to their being
given. We should then be proceeding precisely on the
lines of Copernicus' primary hypothesis. Failing of
satisfactory progress in explaining the movements of
the heavenly bodies on the supposition
that they all revolved round the spectator, he tried
whether he might not have better success if he made
the spectator to revolve and the stars to remain at
rest.

Preface to the 2nd edition of the Critique of Pure
Reason

 

And there is still another TURN. In the Modern or
Postmodern, if you must, philosopheres have despaired
of making philosophy scientific by seeking priciples
in the mind, and have instead TURNED to the meanings
expressed in language. 

Kinda like the Pynchon List. 

Although, I would say that there are, as Kant defines
these in the Metaphysics Of Morals, those that apply
the skeptical method and those that are here only to
apply a rude skepticism-- "a principle of technical
and scientific ignorance, which undermines the
foundation of all knowledge, and strives in all
possible ways to destroy its reliability and
steadfasteness" ---while the skeptics,  even as a
parade of persona with masks forever and purposely
sliding, see k to discover a point of misunderstanding
in the case of disputes which may be sincerly and
competently conducted by all sides. 


"The problems of philosophy are not scientific, but
the problem of trying to get really clear as to what
on earth a given philosopher MEANT by something which
he said." 


	G.E. Moore



"Only then will it be possible to
replace traditional philosophy by a strict scientific
discipline, namely, that of the logic of science as
the syntax of the language of science."

		Carnap

Through the looking glass we go and language, dear
Alice, does not mirror reality. It can not. But
language can construct meaning. 

 

Jaberwocky. 

Brillig. now that's logical. isn't it? sure, brillig
is 4 o'clock, the time when we broil things for
dinner. 

Wabe? 

With "wabe", a word has produced a concept rather than
the other way round. 

So rip away, pull a word out and make much of it. Cat
is all smile. 

PS Dave Monroe, did you really think I was trying to
hide behind this smile? Humpty dumpty is the only
angry and mad one round this wonderland as far I can
tell. 


__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
http://sbc.yahoo.com