Archive for November, 2006

Liar (It Takes One To Know One)

November 13th, 2006

All our secrets they are tailored trouble
Draped loose now around your hips

The band Taking Back Sunday recently released their song “Liar (It Takes One To Know One)”.

I’m an addict for dramatics
I confuse the two for love

Tony Petrossian directed a wonderful video for the song which is available through the band’s website, and on YouTube – Liar (It Takes One To Know One).

It’s still a question of
How long will this hold?

[*]

Weathermen of knowledge

November 11th, 2006

I have just attended a mini-conference on truth and knowledge, organized by Manfred Füllsack. Well, you know, it doesn’t take a bunch of acknowledged experts to make you know what you do not know, but then it certainly helps in some way or other.

You don’t need a weatherman
To know which way the wind blows
— Bob Dylan

In fact, I am still pondering over what I have actually been listening to. When someone articulates the need to distinguish tacit and articulated knowledge is this distinction nevertheless articulated, or is it meant to provoke the question which particular tacit knowledge it takes to draw the distinction?

Or, have I simply missed the speakers blink their Epimenidic eyes?

When Herbert Hrachovec compared the truth of knowledge with the expiry date of food might it be that the truth of his comparison had already expired at the time it has reached the audience? Thomas Auinger said this is not an issue of relativism. Quoting him: “Hier gibt es kein Relativierungsproblem.” Besides me wondering about what he was relating to, he might have been right about it if we consider the fact that the word “Relativierungsproblem” pretty much only came into existence when he used it. Or, was Herbert Hrachovec right when Thomas Auinger’s truth expired?

Of course, it’s all a question of definitions, isn’t it? (I love it!)
We have covered disfinism earlier here: The pure disfinism (of no definitions) and the eclectic disfinism (of a great many definitions). I should further extend the concept of disfinism by implicit disfinism.

Implicit disfinism is the science (or art — if you want — unless you define it) of discussing theories which try to explain the nature and scope of specific notions by use of the notions themselves without ever defining them. The little conference serves as a particularly nice example where several theories of epistemology (that’s theories of theories of knowledge) have been debated including plenty of references to truth and knowledge, shamelessly avoiding their definitions.

Thanks, guys!

Just don’t move!

November 9th, 2006

Ratta quoting Russell on all movements

[Ratta suggests not to move at all since Bertrand Russell said that all movements go too far, and this is certainly true. Those isolated better be independent, of course.]

What makes You special

November 6th, 2006

A friend once asked me whether I can explain the fact that my companion was important to me. After some months (to have my mind settle) I replied:

What I love is her contradiction, and her withstanding.

[*]

Claiming responsibility

November 4th, 2006

The following took place in the context of a lecture series on human ecology. One evening, after talks a speaker and friend of mine asked me how I perceive the lectures. I answered that I am thinking about responsibility. Next she wanted to know what were the results of my thinkings. I said: Responsibility.

By then we had reached the building’s exit door. She said bye, and off she was.

[X]

Black-and-white categories

November 3rd, 2006

Black-and-white categories

Black-and-white categories will lead us nowhere.