words and realities

One of the most insidious philosophical ideas in the 20th century is that words are not to be trusted.

Here is the insidious idea: a word -- any word -- doesn't mean only what you think it means. That is because it cannot mean only what you think it means.

You see, a word can mean a whole lot of things. And so as a result: language -- which is made up of words -- is inherently undependable because it is infinitely negotiable.

Language at best paints situational truths: points of view that make sense in the social situation one finds one's self. But since social situations always change, there are NEVER any permanent truths.

In the famous (ahem) words of a recent president of the United States: "It all depends on what 'is' is."

It all depends, you see, on what "is" is.

In exchange for this inability to come to any conclusions, there is great freedom to paint reality as you see it. Enormous freedom.

In a jam? Just call the whole thing by another name. Describe it with other words. Paint your own reality.

It is no wonder that, in our world, "spin" has become reality. The problem is that spin can be spun in every which way, and in multiple ways. And so we live in fragmented realities.

Deconstructivist philosophy, the linguistic theory that is leader in this kind of "analysis" of language, calls this freedom of meaning -- actually it is freedom FROM meaning -- "the infinite play of signs."

Words, you see, are nothing but signs -- and all signs are constantly "in play" as to what they actually represent.

This is because they don't in fact represent much of anything; the very idea that signs can represent substances is old fashioned.

Substance itself, you see, is a convenient myth.

But here is the problem: when substance is taken away, facts are also taken away.

The only thing that counts is the is.

And it all depends on what is is.

Logos2Go

Matthew 24.35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Psalm 119.105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.