PHL 333 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Rationality
19 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PHL333
Tutorial 12
Midgley
- Chapter 10 on language
- Chapter 11- rationality
- Chapter 12- culture
- Language, rational and culture related but different
- Each case we are talking about something that marks us different from animals- we are
different from animals but language, rational and culture
- These things supposed to be unique to us and distinguish us from all animals are shown
to be more complicated- shows two sides 1. animals have this thing too, not all but
significant number do- other animals have things like language, having language alone
does not make humans different from animals
- One argument- animals have it too
- Second argument- these things we have that are supposed to make us different from
animals, our having these things are built in our nature, not caused by us to make us stand
out, rooted in our concrete nature, these powers are rooted in our given nature, cannot be
thought of standing beyond nature, these powers are rooted in our natural nature
- There is this thing called rationality that is supposed to make us different from animals,
only we have it, makes it seem this is something that makes humans more powerful and
came out of nowhere, nature of these powers are that you cannot really have them, they
are versions of natural things
- In both cases, goal is let’s rethink what these are
- When she rethinks language she draws fact that crucial part of language is emotion, tone,
gestures, cannot think of language as just conceptual content of what is being said,
language in full sense is thing that lives among individuals, animals have it too
- With respect to language there are all these factors crucial to us- emotion, tone etc.
- Phenomenon of tone has not been given a lot of thought, big part of being said is not by
concept but by emotion, demeanor, tone and people know how to read that side
- Animals arguably don’t have explicit conceptual to communicate but there are sides of
language they clearly have- dog hears your tone and knows if you are mad or happy with
it- clear communication happening,
- Language is this thing special to humans- Midgely says they have it to, just have to
understand language non-traditionally
- Language is not simply something that derives from our special, unique, supernatural
owners but it is rooted in abilities that are very natural and can be found in other species-
dog knows you are addressing it, ability to listen, ants do not do anything if I talk to them
but horse, dog appreciates you are addressing them, that is a natural ability that we also
have
- Part of what is crucial to us to have language comes naturally, speaking ability is rooted
in nature too
- Not denying humans have different conceptual animals do not but if you pidge
everything on you either have it or don’t then you are wrong
- Communication can never happen, or language without broad abilities- stopping to listen,
having ears and eyes
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Language, rational and culture related but different. Each case we are talking about something that marks us different from animals- we are different from animals but language, rational and culture. In both cases, goal is let"s rethink what these are. With respect to language there are all these factors crucial to us- emotion, tone etc. Phenomenon of tone has not been given a lot of thought, big part of being said is not by concept but by emotion, demeanor, tone and people know how to read that side. Animals arguably don"t have explicit conceptual to communicate but there are sides of language they clearly have- dog hears your tone and knows if you are mad or happy with it- clear communication happening, Language is this thing special to humans- midgely says they have it to, just have to understand language non-traditionally. Part of what is crucial to us to have language comes naturally, speaking ability is rooted in nature too.
