PrintSeptember 26, 2010
The Quietus of Reason
We live in a linguistic Wonderland. Most of us are aware that words have meanings. Too many of us have lost track of the fact that if we don't use words properly, or (as in a famous Monty Python skit) at least get "them in the right order," our statements become meaningless.This is a deep philosophical problem -- caused by philosophers. Careful students of philosophy understand that the ruminations of world-class philosophers set the stage for how words are eventually used and abused by intellectuals, educators, politicians, and finally, by the rest of us.Let's examine three simple concepts: The misuse of first-person singular pronouns (like "I"), the exploitation of "success-words" (such as "knowledge" -- "success-words" will be explained below) and the misapplication of first-person plural pronouns (e.g., "we"). This investigation will help us understand how the intellectual and political classes blatantly misemploy...(Read Full Article)
