If we had to verify our thinking by "what most persons equate to truthful" we'd still be in the stone age. That is an appeal to naive realism, the reliance on appearances to determine truth. Remember the stick appearing bent in the jar of water? Lesson number one in any philosophy or scientific handbook.
WC --- On Thu, 1/1/09, Geoff <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Geoff <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Malcolm Gladwell and beliefs) > To: [email protected] > Date: Thursday, January 1, 2009, 2:57 PM > Michael: I agree that our perceptions are constructed. I > don't agree that > fictitious is understood by most persons to equate to > truthful. > We may equally construe fictional/imagined persons or > verifiably existent > persons. Let us not confuse the process > (construction/construal) with the > object (fictional/made-believed) with the valid. > Geoff C > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael Brady" > <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 12:56 PM > Subject: Re: Malcolm Gladwell and beliefs) > > > > On Jan 1, 2009, at 12:21 PM, Geoff wrote: > > > >> I assume we all accept that her existence is of > another order than Paul > >> Newman's (former) existence. As that different > order is recognized, > >> discord/misunderstanding is reduced. Yes, our > perceptions are > >> constructions - but the construction Snow White is > of a different order > >> than the construction Paul Newman. > > > > The existence of both might be of different orders, > but your perceptions > > or constructions are of the same order. That's the > point William > > makes--and is a corollary of Cheerskep's constant > reminders that meaning > > resides in the mind, not the word -- namely, your > thoughts and ideas > > about a thing or topic are not the thing or topic > itself, they are > > proxies, substitutes, representations, or as William > puts it, "as-if > > stand-ins," in other words, fictions. [Fiction is > derived etymologically > > from Latin, fingere, to form or contrive; related > words are feign and > > figment.] So the notion of Snow White is a figment of > the imagination; > > the notion of Paul Newman is equally a figment, but > of memories of > > previous reports of a supposed actual person. Note > that for most people > > who have never met Paul Newman, his existence is of > the same order as > > Snow White's, i.e., known to us through reports > and stories. > > > > > > > > > > | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > > Michael Brady > > [email protected]
