pynchon agnostic? II

[thomas kyhn rovsing hjoernet]

On 10/03/03 22:30, "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com> wrote:

> on 10/3/03 11:58 PM, thomas kyhn rovsing hjoernet at tkrh at worldonline.dk
> wrote:
> 
>>>>>> whatever is outside of language is not in itself divided into distinct
>>>>>> entities. 
>> 
>> What I mean is that what is outside of language (if anything, etc.) is not
>> in itself already divided into distinct entities that language in its turn
>> supplies with names. Divisions seem to be introduced with language, as is
>> indicated by the fact that different languages make different divisions.
>> This is not to say that there is no difference outside of language. However,
>> 'difference' is a concept introduced with language.
>> 
>>> And yet you now agree that you and I are separate beings.
>> 
>> Don't know about that last word.
> 
> It is absolutely synonymous with your "entities".

You're right. I'll refrain from approaching any such ontological
assumptions.

> You accept that we are
> separate beings/"distinct entities" and yet you are still trying to maintain
> that this is only a linguistic construct.

I am not rejecting (what we would call) difference outside of language, but
that is not the same as to say that such an 'outside' is already divided
into the 'parts' that language names.

>> This is not to say that there is no difference outside of language. However,
>> 'difference' is a concept introduced with language.
> 
> If there is difference outside of language then the second statement is
> demonstrably false. Since there is difference outside of language (you and I
> are separate beings), your argument falls apart. Check mate.

When concepts are applied to an 'outside of language' and concepts are
abstract categories/'divisions' that do not exist outside of language, then
what is stated in these concepts does not in any 1:1 sense reach outside of
the realm of language but remains inside its 'hypotheses' or constructions.
Which is why I am reluctant to make any positive statements about what 'is'
outside of language.


Thomas