Dick,

What you are really asking is how does the world have any meaning. If the world has meaning then we can use that meaning effectively to produce knowledge. For example, an early human might have said 'Thug threw rock'. Knowledge of Thug comes from recognizing words (sound impressions) with actions (visual impressions). There is a use or pattern between sound impressions (words) and visual impressions (actions). I think it is this pattern recognition ability that brings meaning to language (again, meaning is use to use a Wittgenstein phrase).

When we say terms like time, reality, truth, etc., we are associating patterns of sense impressions in a manner so that we can understand the patterns themselves in a useful light. It is this ability which allows humans and other species to take advantage of their environment. Without pattern recognition abilities we could not survive.

Warm regards, Harv

• I am sorry, you misunderstand! - doctordick - October 29, 2001 - 15:22 UTC
  • How can I misunderstand what you say cannot be understood? (nt) - harvey1 - October 29, 2001 - 17:37 UTC
    • Harv, are you just avoiding the question? - doctordick - October 30, 2001 - 15:17 UTC
      • I won't dodge any issue - harvey1 - October 30, 2001 - 16:59 UTC
        • I am sorry, you just do not understand! - doctordick - October 30, 2001 - 19:41 UTC
          • Just give me a reference - harvey1 - October 30, 2001 - 19:50 UTC
  • Dick, that's a presumption - dolphin - October 30, 2001 - 05:32 UTC