From: Scott R (jse885@spinn.net)
Date: Sat Jan 25 2003 - 16:32:59 GMT
Platt,
Serves you right for believing what you read in on the Internet :-) In any
case, I am not so worried about postmodernist academics corrupting the
young. For one thing, I am in partial agreement that undeconstructed
language use does cover up societal sins, including power struggles, and one
needs to learn not to trust it. When I refer to idiots, I am merely
complaining that some (many?) just replace one not-to-be-trusted vocabulary
with another, and do so because they are too busy making a political point
to deconstruct their own selves. For another thing, I find modernist
philosophy just as corrupting. Hence my appeal for ironist metaphysics. As
the Firesign Theater album title has it "We're all bozos on this bus", and
that's where I think we all need to start.
My dictionary (New World, 2nd College edition) has 'salvific': "offering
salvation". And I've read it here and there. I prefer it over
'soteriological' since its ('salvific') meaning is more self-evident.
- Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Platt Holden" <pholden@sc.rr.com>
To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 5:12 AM
Subject: Re: MD Ironic Metaphysics
> Scott:
>
> > Platt said:
> > > I don't understand what you mean by the "instinctive sense demands
> > > deconstruction as does SOM." The term "deconstruction" is a
> > > postmodernist term whereby statements are examined to reveal their
> > > underlying power base, usually attributed to Fascist white European
> > > males.
> >
> > I somehow doubt that Nagarjuna's deconstructive efforts were to expose a
> > power base, Fascist white European male or otherwise. Nor are Derrida's.
> > Foucault's might be so characterized, and there are no doubt a lot of
idiot
> > academics who follow along. But I really have to wonder where you get
your
> > information on post-modernism and deconstruction, that prompts you to
make
> > such blanket characterizations.
>
> I get information on postmodernism and deconstruction from a variety of
> sources. For example, a Google search of "deconstructionism" brought
> up this entry right at the top:
>
> "Deconstructionism: A term tied very closely to postmodernism,
> deconstructionism is a challenge to the attempt to establish any
> ultimate or secure meaning in a text. Basing itself in language analysis,
> it seeks to "deconstruct" the ideological biases (gender, racial,
> economic, political, cultural) and traditional assumptions that infect all
> histories, as well as philosophical and religious "truths."
> Deconstructionism is based on the premise that much of human
> history, in trying to understand, and then define, reality has led to
> various forms of domination - of nature, of people of color, of the poor,
of
> homosexuals, etc. Like postmodernism, deconstructionism finds
> concrete experience more valid than abstract ideas and, therefore,
> refutes any attempts to produce a history, or a truth. In other words, the
> multiplicities and contingencies of human experience necessarily bring
> knowledge down to the local and specific level, and challenge the
> tendency to centralize power through the claims of an ultimate truth
> which must be accepted or obeyed by all."
>
> There are many things about deconstructionism I find illogical but it's
> the "domination" part that's really wacko as you seem to agree by
> characterizing "idiot academics." Unfortunately, these "idiots" have
> wide influence on campuses today, infecting young heads with their
> leftwing dogma.
>
> > As mentioned before, I see deconstruction as a salvific tool (in the
> > religious sense). And as before I recommend Robert Magliola's book
"Derrida
> > on the Mend".
>
> Speaking of information sources, I looked up "salvific" in my Random
> House unabridged dictionary and came up empty. So in turn I have to
> wonder where you get your information that prompts you to use a word
> that lacks a common meaning.
>
> Just tweaking you a bit, Scott. Generally we're on the same wavelength
> regarding most issues discussed on this site.
>
> Platt
>
>
>
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