tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768595982674020804.post6412964675994813028..comments2022-04-09T22:43:12.613-07:00Comments on The gods are what has failed to become of us: NamingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01297517015430155784noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768595982674020804.post-71588540844860326062012-01-11T11:48:31.985-08:002012-01-11T11:48:31.985-08:00I intend to read Pinker's Tabula Rasa at some ...I intend to read Pinker's Tabula Rasa at some point. He was an entertaining writer, anyway. <br /><br />You know I could cite other examples that don't "sit well with [my] preferred world view," but of course that's not quite the point. More, really, it's that the political/ideological attempts to understand gender and deviance rarely square with actual experience, a point I figured you'd agree with (and made yourself, to some degree, in The Self Referential Paradox).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01297517015430155784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768595982674020804.post-61301052853833437132012-01-11T04:37:05.423-08:002012-01-11T04:37:05.423-08:00Beanbag?Beanbag?Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10541484882834441713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768595982674020804.post-86741471518669902892012-01-10T00:50:48.184-08:002012-01-10T00:50:48.184-08:00But I don't even have an armchair... : )But I don't even have an armchair... : )Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01297517015430155784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768595982674020804.post-32568427572014514522012-01-09T16:22:22.676-08:002012-01-09T16:22:22.676-08:00Okay, much here.
First, I think you should consi...Okay, much here. <br /><br />First, I think you should consider a re-reading of Pinker, because I think you came away with half the picture (not that one could be expected to learn anything useful at Gordon anyway). I think he does make a point to stress that not ALL thought is language, but I think he concedes that a great deal of it is. It has been a while since I read Language Instinct or How The Mind Works, too, so I would have to do a similar reread to be clear. However, his new book which sits on my shelf as yet unread, is called "The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature." <br /><br />Now, Pinker's position on language isn't going to convince you of the validity of the scientific method. However, citing one example that doesn't sit well with your preferred world view is a tad specious. And as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news how we, as very limited mortals, "understand the world" is incredibly, incredibly limited. Thus the search for repeatable, verifiable events, that lead to accurate predictions of the future even when they contradict our armchair intuitions.<br /><br />And although I know the above won't sway you one iota, I am obliged to say it anyway. :) However, my real point was this. One man doesn't speak for science, and a book I think you would like (which I push on everyone, but no one reads) is George Lakoff's "The Political Mind." He is very left wing in the traditional bourgeois, Democrat, kinda way, which gets in the way a tad. However, he presents a very interesting discussion about "narrative frames" and how profoundly they shape our world view. Very scientific, empirical approach, and incredibly it might just line up with your own guesses.<br /><br />I enjoyed reading your post, as I have all. Please keep it up. :)Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10541484882834441713noreply@blogger.com