PHIL 006 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Richard Rorty, Anti-Realism, Political Correctness
6 Mar 2017
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Describe a bad habit in writing, discuss some of the bad effects. Passive voice where the subject is also the object of the verb. Should not use, it distantes an event from the agent that brings it about. Police example: distances people that did the event. It"s never: the cop pulled out his gun and shot him. it will sound like: during the course of the event, the officer"s weapon was discharged and the suspect was injured. Burden of political writing to defend the indefensible. Political correctness: can"t make rape jokes, whites can"t use n word but black people can. Instead of using the word retarded we now say mentally challenged . Orwell wants to know why we change and adapt our english language. We should use better language on occasion, but it should have a purpose. When we cover up language to the point where it"s unclear, that"s when it becomes bad.
