Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

["James Piat" <piat1 AT bellsouth.net>]

Title: Re: [percy-l] marriage

Dear Tim,

 

Yes I do think the warranted belief that words have a semi fixed meaning is the basis of intelligible communication  -- AND the source of many a misunderstanding as well.  I think most of us are pretty much alike when it comes to our fundamental goals but very diverse in our circumstances and our ways and means of achieving of goals.  But speaking just for myself I like the way we have chosen here on the Percy list  -- mostly talk talk talk.  And when it comes to politics I judge the man, not his agenda  -- so you've all got my vote.   But not my silence.  Maybe I've given you the short end of the bargain!

 

Best,

Jim Piat 

I don't think the postmodern agenda is so much to liberate words from fixed meanings as it is to liberate "us" from the prejudice that either words or their referents have fixed meanings   -- all is flux.  
 

It’s this ‘prejudice’ that enable us to articulate or communicate anything at all, don’t  you think? And I think that the targeted way in which these ‘prejudices’ are being challenged indicates a larger political agenda, and not a detached, purely academic
strategy.