Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit:
98.
ARGUMENT:
the same is true with the other form of the 'This' - with 'Here'
'here is the tree' - if I turn around this truth has vanished and converted into its
opposite - no tree is here but a house instead
'here' itself does not vanish
therefore the 'this' shows itself as a mediated simplicity or a universality
COMMENTARY:
'here' is an indeterminate reference to space
when we are asked to find a position on a map - we might say 'here' if simultaneously
we place our finger on the map in the act of showing - however given the whole point
of maps it is more likely that we will give co-ordinates - that is 'here' will be given a
geometric characterization - and this will be regarded as a representation of the actual
'here'
'here' - without definition is a term that has an unknown reference - but it is a term
that we use as an unknown reference to space - so it has character
in language we have template terms - the function of which is to direct our attention to
a category of our understanding of the world
Hegel's mistake here is the idea that all terms refer to an existing state of affairs or
being
language is not just a simple matter of word and object
terms such as 'here' and 'now' are initial characterizations of the unknown - primitive
or naive characterizations
the point about meaning is that it is unknown
we structure and give form and content to this unknown
language is the principle means of this
and 'the making of meaning' is itself without foundation
it is just what self-conscious entities do
it is fair to say the making of meaning is without meaning
there is no natural or logical end to such
what we call meaning (as a finished product so to speak) is just the decision to stop at
some point in the process
the point is always perceived utility
and that point is of course always open to question
