From: Matt the Enraged Endorphin (mpkundert@students.wisc.edu)
Date: Tue Mar 11 2003 - 04:29:13 GMT
DMB asked, "Why not speak simply and clearly?"
I happen to think I do most of the time, but the jargon does get thick once
in a while. Jargon isn't innately bad. It's only bad when it blocks
meaningful communication. So, if we aren't communicating well because of
specialized words, then some explaining might be in order.
However, specialized meanings are a sign of sophistication and intellectual
progress. If we don't evolve the meanings of our words to say what we want
to say, then we will be stuck saying the same things. As Aquinas said,
"When you meet a contradiction, make a distinction." This is how jargon
develops. I mean, the word metaphysics is jargonistic. You don't hear it
very often outside of philosophy. If you tell somebody at work, "It's
interesting how you rethought your metaphysics" instead of "It's
interesting how you rethought your assumptions" when you were talking about
politics, the person will probably look at you a little weird, even if your
use of metaphysics makes sense. It just doesn't make sense to the other
person because they aren't acclimated to that way of speaking.
I've tried to keep my level of sophistication high enough to not say
anything misleading, while at the same time explain them well enough. I've
been successful in some cases, not in others. But to say that I don't
speak "simply and clearly" is to point up that you aren't acclimated to my
way of speaking. Just as it took me time to become acclimated to Pirsig
and Rorty, and others have had this experience, I don't expect everyone to
understand everything I write right off the bat. But some people have
become acclimated. That's all I can ask. Other's haven't and see no
reason to become acclimated. That's their perogative. I mean, Rorty is
speaking to a particular audience, those who have read many of the books
he's read. At the same time, I'm speaking to a particular audience, one
whose read many of the books I've read. In most cases, the only books I
assume myself and my audience have in common are Pirsig's. That's only
appropriate. But I'm incorrigible name-dropper and I do that to make
connections with other things I've read. If other people have read them,
they'll hopefully see the connection. If the other people haven't, then
usually its not mandatory that they have.
Matt
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