Chris writes: "A few days ago, I attempted to describe my notion of taste as follows:
"'Taste' points towards a system of personal preference -- it's personal because, ultimately, it's how one person feels (even if those feelings are social norms) - and it's a system because it involves a broad --perhaps even all inclusive - web of relationships." "Cheerskep must have found that inadequate" Yeah, I did. First off, I'm not sure what you have in mind with 'system', but I'll try this. I have a broad array of personal preferences for devices that I systematically employ to relieve my right thumb of exertions, because I have arthritis there. For example, I dislike buttons of all sizes, and tight jar-tops. I have personal preferences for certain chairs and mattresses to stave off the spasms that plagued me when I was younger. I'm also against touching things that burn me. But I prefer hot showers over cold ones, hot water to shave with rather cold, hot coffee to cold coffee. I systematically do everything I can to avoid standing in line for things. When I may make out my income taxes, my personal preference is systematically to declare everything -- I don't cheat, not because I'm a saint, but it'd make me feel small, and also because it'd introduce an unwanted anxiety into my life. You cite William as supporting you in this, but remember that William conveyed something of his notion of "taste" by saying, "taste -- a sense of beauty". I myself would never say these clusters of preferences I mention display my "taste". "it's a system because it involves a broad -- perhaps even all inclusive - web of relationships." Always beware of the word 'involves'. It says effectively nothing and it tends to suggest you think things are "connected" somehow, but you can't say how. As for "relationships" -- that's one of the fuzziest words in philosophy. Did you know that if you "believe in" "relations" as "real", you must believe they are the most numerous entities in the world by far? Consider the relation between my left toe and a particular toothache George Washington had. Now consider: There must a "relation" between that relation and everything else, including every other relation there is or ever was. And each of those relations-between-relations must in turn be related tob& In sum, Chris, I find your description of your notion of taste inadequate, because, I suspect, the notion itself in your mind is inadequate. ************** Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides. (http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?ncid=aoltrv00030000000016 )
