so
I said earlier consciousness is the bringing of language
to the world
so what is this - that language is brought to?
is it some kind of blank the human mind writes on?
no -
we have no evidence for this - no experience of it
we may imagine a blank world pre-language - but - it's
just that - fancy
so
what does this mean?
a description (language) - already there in some form -
a fundamental language - perhaps - we build on?
this does not stack up -
you either bring language to the world or you don't -
I think
so
it's not already there and the world is not blank
if this is so -
have we asked the right question?
and the question was - an initial state question -
what is the original set up -
before it all gets going?
a nice metaphysical inquiry -
but the situation the actuality -
is not like this
we describe the world as we live in it
there is no beginning or end to this
it's a kind of spontaneous creation - reality
it's always been here
consciousness and the world -
a perfect fit -
what else could we say -
consciousness brings language to the world
and all we know is the world described by consciousness
beyond this - the unknown -
and I think here Santayana is on the right track -
we only - always start - in the middle - in the midst
of it all
origins and endings
are not what we know
what we know is what is here
and what is here is the mind describing this world
and the world described
logicians like to undress the world -
strip it back to bare necessities
can be useful - and indeed a fun thing to do
but - where do you stop?
how do you identify the fundamental?
it's not necessarily at the end of the inquiry -
as the inquiry can go on as long as you wish -
it's not as if it's got a name tag -
'philosopher's stone'
and instructions
'stop here'
the idea of a fundamental - is all we are talking of here
it's the idea that needs to be looked at
what's the reason for such a pursuit - endeavour -
look - I think it's just the perception of causation
gone mad
or more charitably
we need to organize ourselves - to establish a focus -
some principle of unity
and some people seek out the source of things -
but if so - that's the only point of it -
dealing with an issue of practice - of proceeding -
so description?
we describe what is there -
what is there is identifiable - therefore some
recognition is in place
take for example my black wooden bookcase
black - wooden - bookcase -
appearance - substance - function
you might say - three fundamentals of description
I didn't come into the world equipped with these notions
I had to learn colour - substance - use
but this is about establishing veridical perception
for all practical purposes - 'black wooden bookcase'
- does the job -
it's a natural description
and even if I go astray and get seduced by quantum physics
- or cubist art - or L.S.D -
the point is - 'black wooden bookcase' holds its ground
is there a more fundamental description?
no -
