Yes, yes, we can create new concepts and new possibilities, but I disagree with you whole-heartedly: none of what I had said below makes it sound like we only ever have the same, single set of possibilities. I just think, like most conceptions of God, the conception of creation ex nihilio is impossible, unreal, and untrue. Creation ex nihilo is otherwise known as magic.
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 00:15:43 +0100 > Subject: Re: [MD] What is metaphysics to you? > > Hi Matt > > Fine, but there is also the creation of new concepts, which create new > possibilities to explore. > What you say below makes it sound like we only ever have the same and one > set > of possibilities to explore, seems important to me to see how all change > creates > new situations full of new possibilities, be they physical, neurological, > imaginative, or linguistic. > > David M > >> >> Hey David, >> >> Matt had said long ago: >> But to confront you [who? I can't remember] one last time with Pirsig: you >> said, "To watch your thoughts without judgement, to see your (human) >> nature is valuable." >> >> Wasn't the idea behind Pirsig's Quality that it is value, i.e. judgments, >> all the way down to the very core of reality? >> >> David said: >> Interesting, a useful point but I'd suggest some qualification. What we >> experience and value is generally highly conceptualised. There is always a >> need and possibility to think again, to sweep aside our current concepts >> and make a fresh start or going back to possibilities previously set >> aside. Such is the point of such calls to purity or back to basics. Yes, >> it looks dubious if you make a call to origins and purity as if such a >> state can be sustained. >> >> Matt: >> I demur. For philosophical reasons that you are generally aware of, >> theory-ladenness, denial of the analytic/synthetic distinction, etc., I >> would say "what we experience and value is [always] conceptualized." This >> always gets me in trouble, but 1) I don't think it's really all that >> radical and 2) how else do you get around Quine/Sellars/Davidson and their >> attacks on the dogmas? >> >> I think you're absolutely right that "there is always a need and >> possibility to think again, to sweep aside our current concepts and make a >> fresh start or going back to possibilities previously set aside." That >> may be the point of calls to purity and the like, but I don't think the >> metaphor of purity is a good one to use for such calls because it proves >> misleading if pushed (like Kant's analytic/synthetic distinction, or >> thinking that there are bare, unconceptualized experiences that one could >> think about). One can never wipe the entire board and start over--you >> always have to leave something as background. Like Sellars (roughly) >> said, "science is the greatest thing because it can put any claim in >> jeopardy--just not all at once." He said it about science, but we can >> generalize it. >> >> So, I take the engine of your point to be from the reminder that we always >> need to have the possibility to think again. I can agree, but I think it >> is unconnected to a need to claim that value and experience is _generally_ >> (as opposed to always) conceptualized and the metaphor of purity, >> "sweeping aside" and "fresh start." Yeah, you sweep some stuff aside, but >> you can't sweep everything aside. >> >> Matt >> >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Get in touch in an instant. Get Windows Live Messenger now. >> http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_getintouch_042008 >> Moq_Discuss mailing list >> Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. >> http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org >> Archives: >> http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ >> http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ >> > > > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends. http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_052008 Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
