[MD] suspended in language

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 6 Nov 2009 at 11:31, Arlo Bensinger wrote:

> [Steve]
> I'm not sure what you mean by "an absolute stance." I don't think 
> that there is any foundation from which to make a claim that no one 
> will ever provide us with a foundation for justifying all our truth claims.
> 
> [Arlo]
> Platt is bemused by recursive language paradoxes, and for some reason 
> thinks that pointing out that "no one will ever..." is itself an 
> absolute statement, which it denies, is some sort of "gotcha!".
> 
> There are countless examples of how this could be phrased. "There are 
> no absolutes" is an absolute statement that becomes paradoxical when 
> it attempts to contain itself. But whereas for Platt this is proof 
> that absolutes exist, it is really just foundational incompleteness 
> inherent to the very act of symbolic activity.
> 
> We have then an infinite series, (((((There are no absolutes) 
> including this statement) including this statement) including this 
> statement)...), which is really the best we can do. Most people can 
> deal with the inherent paradoxicality of recursive language, but 
> apparently it is still something Platt has not been able to wrap his 
> head around. Like poor Norman from I, Mudd he struggles with this... 
> let's hope his neural capacitors don't short out on him...

Arlo claims an absolute foundation of recursive language. Pathetic.   

> 
> [Platt asked Steve]
> Finally, do you agree with Pirsig's assertion: "Cultures can be 
> graded and judged morally according to their contribution to the 
> evolution of life." (Lila, 24)
> 
> [Arlo]
> I always find it fascinating that those who are most motivated to 
> "grade" things, are those that would always rank themselves "number one".
> 
> Nonetheless, this assertion is quite problematic, as even something 
> like "American culture" or "Chinese culture" rests of generalizations 
> that may or may be representative of local communities. Is life in 
> Laramie, Wyoming "American culture" or is life in the Bronx?  Is 
> there any non-American culture that Platt would rank higher than his 
> own in any capacity? Is "Hispanic culture" better in some regards? 
> What about "Lakota culture"? Are we ranking blanket statements about 
> cultures on this large scale, or are we "grading" specific attributes 
> we assign to various cultures? For example, would we give "Hispanic 
> culture" an "A" for familial closeness and "American culture" a "C"? 
> Does this generalize too much?
> 
> And what is the purpose? What award are some striving to give 
> themselves? If we say "Hispanic culture is morally superior to 
> Icelandic culture", what does this statement do? Should we consider 
> Icelanders inferior people until they "shape up and become more like 
> Hispanics"? Do we dismiss whatever an Icelander may do as "pfff.. 
> that's just those inferior people from that faraway place"? Does it 
> only matter in cases of extremes, like justifying war against Nazi 
> Germany? Or is it just an excuse to pat ourselves on our back and get 
> all warm and fuzzy over how morally superior WE are to the inferior 
> hordes of OTHERS?  When, how and why should we "grade cultures"?

If Arlo read and understood the MOQ he would know how and why we 
should grade cultures.