From: "Prof. Dr. Rafael Capurro" <capurro-AT-hbi-stuttgart.de>
Subject: Re: Language and Thought
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 12:26:56 +0200


please read Quine (in English if possible)
rafael
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Mike Staples <mstaples-AT-argusqa.com>
An: heidegger-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU
<heidegger-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU>
Datum: Sonntag, 5. Juli 1998 00:59
Betreff: Re: Language and Thought


>Steven E. Callihan wrote:
>
>> I would hope,
>> in other words, that in order to participate in a discussion of
>> Heidegger
>> and Sartre, for instance, that one would not be required to know both
>> German
>> _and_ French. To understand Kierkegaard, do I need to know Danish? To
>> understand Hindu philosophy is it necessary that I also learn
>> Sanscrit? Not
>> to mention having to learn Greek to understand Plato, Latin to
>> understand
>> St. Augustine. Spanish to understand Ortege y Gasset.
>
>Steve, you go too far. What was said was that there are nearly
>unsurmountable problems associated with understand Heidegger if you
>don't speak German.
>
>> My general inclination
>> is to feel that if a philosophical concept can't be translated into
>> English,
>> then the translator is just plain lazy.
>
>This might be a little too far as well, Steve. It isn't a matter of the
>German not ever, under any circumstances being able to be translated
>into English. I don't think this was the problem stated.
>
>> To claim that there is a uniquely
>> untranslateable German philosophy that can only be truly understood by
>> those
>> fluent in the language, or even born into it, would border on a
>> chauvinism
>> that is just plain unacceptable, and dangerous, I think.
>
>I don't really dissagree with you. But I think you are pushing this
>thing too far, Steve. I don't think this is really was was ment.
>
>> If one wants to
>> recommend learning a little, or even a lot, of German as being
>> beneficial in
>> understanding Heidegger, I have no problem with that, but if one
>> insists
>> upon it as a necessity for understanding him at all, then...
>
>I think the reference was to the "nearly unsurmountable problems"
>associated with translation issues.
>
>Michael S.
>
>
>
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