Taken from Through the Looking Glass -- Ch. 6 , Lewis Carroll
" ...and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents --'
`Certainly,' said Alice.
`And only one for birthday presents, you know. There's glory for you!'
`I don't know what you mean by "glory",' Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. `Of course you don't -- till I tell you. I meant "there's a nice knock-down argument for you!"'
`But "glory" doesn't mean "a nice knock-down argument",' Alice objected.
`When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'
`The question is,' said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
`The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master -- that's all.'
5 comments:
Good point on words and mastery, John.
Or try this celery to chew on: Argument by definition is illogical by definition.
Or...
I cannot logically define logic
This post reminds me of an uncomfortable reality: there is no logical escape from total cultural relativism unless one culture is the master.
Instead, we have illogical escapes, like faith in a God who spoke to the Jews.
Very interesting John. Here are some concepts I have been finding recently in study. This from self-perception theory; " As I hear myself talk, I learn what I believe." We can talk ourselves into(or out of) things. Then here is something from TDG 92,: "Every thought and word of hope, courage, light and love strengthens faith and fortifies the soul to withstand the moral darkness that exists in the world.... By beholding (and perhaps speaking?) we become changed."
if words have no generally agreed upon meaning, then there is nothing to say. Dad
Barry: very, very good point.
Dad: Thanks for those quotes! I agree with you.
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