From: abahn@comcast.net
Date: Sat Sep 20 2003 - 21:05:58 BST
Hi David,
I will give a longer reply soon, but I just wanted to quickly point this out.
You said:
"Its not about making reference to some objective dream (whatever that is), its
about making reference to experience and history, to life as it is lived."
This is exactly right and, I think, one of the most important insights you can
get from Rorty. Since you agree that Moral principles can not be objectively
defined, I think the problem is that you disagree with his jargon. You want
more moral principles, not less of them. Rorty would say we need new and better
useful tools, but you in fact are arguing for the same thing using different
words. I don't see a difference in your views, other than you each are using
different words to get the same point accross. Rorty is not arguing that we do
not need morality. He is not even arguing that we can do without moral
principles. He is just saying that any moral principle cannot be justified
outside of our "experience and history, to life as it is lived." Then the
problem arises because individuals, groups, nations, and societies have
different experience and history and lives being lived. This is where
intersubjective agreement and persuasion comes in.
I think you are taking Rorty's philosophy far from where he would want it to go.
If you only hear Rorty as saying in Platt's words "anything goes" then you will
be missing out on almost all of his insights and inspiration. Nobody loves a
slogan better than Platt, but this is a characterization that completely
misrepresents Rorty's philosophy. I hope you can come away with a better view
of Rorty than this. (Platt's case, however, is hopeless):-)
Regards,
Andy
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