Not P but Moby-Dick (17)

[Ian Livingston]

I certainly cosign your sentiment regarding being "held to knowledge" in
current events, Mark.

I think Melville dwells more in the ethereal realm of symbolism and
prophecy. It's my impression that "held to knowledge" in this case means
something close to your example, expanded to indicate divine
providence reduced to knowledge of the murderous nature of the sublime
stripped of its poetry. All things thrive on the "howling wind" of
transience, the onward march of existence.

On Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 2:20 AM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:

> "held to knowledge" is my new favorite phrase, i've just decided.....it
> means, simplistically,
> "foreknowledge"......the uses are mostly legal, earliest I can find
> within a few years of Moby Dick,--1856--
> in which the meaning is made clear: the person knew (or should have)
> already when making certain decisions
> such that the knowledge they are "held to" matters for contracts,
> arrangements they enter into....one example
> given is of a person who was at a vital meeting where the Minutes show
> facts, knowledge was recorded as
> known--or should be because they were there taking part---and therefore the
> person can not claim they did
> not know Whatever when they entered into a contract.....
>
> A later in time use links it (as well) to eyewitness seeing of a fact (not
> secondhand).......reverberating this morning
> with the US congresswoman AOC who led her questioning with the law that in
> an impeachment trial actual firsthand
> witnessing of supposed impeachment acts is what is demanded of 'witnesses"
> and getting all three testifiers, including the
> lead attorney,, to go on record saying they have no such evidence......they
> only have further "inquiries"....
>
> On Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 4:50 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >  From Chapter 38:
> >
> > The long howl thrills me through! Peace! ye revellers, and set the watch!
> > Oh, life! ’tis in an hour like this, with soul beat down and held to
> > knowledge,—as wild, untutored things are forced to feed—Oh, life! ’tis
> now
> > that I do feel the latent horror in thee!
> >
> > What does "held to knowledge" mean here?
> > --
> > Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
> >
> --
> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>