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Utopian Turtletop. Monsieur Croche's BĂȘte Noire. Contact: turtletop [at] hotmail [dot] com

Monday, June 18, 2007


I don't know much about philosophy, but I know what I like.

The thing* is, I don't know how I know.

And I'm OK with that.

One style of argument substitutes a macho display of name-dropping for thinking or conviction, like junior high boys waving their eruditions around -- "mine's bigger than yours."** I recognize that name-dropping also functions as jargon, as an intellectual shorthand for people within a discourse community, and familiarity with said jargon marks one as in or out. And so I notice when I'm out; my out-ness sticks out.

If you want to have fun at the dance, it helps to know the steps.



-- Raphael, School of Athens, 1509

* Das Ding an sich? Nah, it's just an expression, though our relationship to our own consciousness may be as thingful as anything.
** I know I do this too.


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