Tag: philosophy
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One
1. There is something to be said about linguistic determinism, and in particular relativity. Linguistic relativity says that the form or structure of a language influences the way people think, or world-view. The often quoted example is the Inuit people and the words for “snow”. Whereas in English we have snow (and perhaps sleet and slush) the…
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What is wrong with rationalism?
The assumptions. Rationalism assumes that reason gives us all knowledge. It overrides emotion and belief. It also override the senses as the path to truth. It is directly opposed to empiricism. Reason takes on a mysticism similar to that of the soul, whereby a body is unnecessary. So it is part of the mind-body problem…
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What I have learnt from linguistics
There isn’t a day that each and everyone for us doesn’t use language in some way. We need it to communicate and interact with people. Unless you live by yourself in a remote forest or island we will use language. Languages are not made equal. What I mean by this is that languages, like everything…
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Frequency is everything
Within the mind we tend to think of things as universal or generic without relating it to the wider world. We say things like, “the sun rises from the east”, without seeing it in context that which it occurs. We probably even have a perfect literally unclouded image of a singular sunrise that represents all…
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Some thoughts on the numbering system of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
There are two “facets” to the numbering system of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. One is to show the logical importance the comments to propositions/comments. The other is to show to which of the propositions/comments are they a comment of. Two “problems” immediately come to mind when I look at the system: In certain parts the less important…
ghoti 