From: steve.devos-AT-krokodile.com
Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2001 19:28:42 +0100
Subject: Re: Mystify me!




Mal

I did read and understand the posts. I just did not want to discuss the 
issue and still don't. I was just being slightly cynical over the 
individual email I responded to.

regards

sdv

Matthew Asher Levy wrote:

> If I felt you had read and tried to understand my posts Steve, I would 
> feel compelled to respond to this misunderstanding of my motives, 
> beliefs and attitudes.
>
> mal
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>
>     From: steve.devos-AT-krokodile.com <mailto:steve.devos-AT-krokodile.com>
>
>     To: lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>     <mailto:lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
>
>     Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 3:55 PM
>
>     Subject: Re: Mystify me!
>
>
>     Mal
>     Such a cynical intellect...  but it feels like you are betraying a
>     truth. Perhaps that's why the need for some god or other is so
>     strong in you...  
>
>     regards
>     sdv
>
>     Matthew Asher Levy wrote:
>
>>Julie,
>>Maybe philosophy just prevents us from doing something more dangerous with
>>our intellects?
>>mal
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: Steve Devos <steve.devos-AT-tiscali.co.uk> <mailto:steve.devos-AT-tiscali.co.uk%3E>
>>To: <lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu> <mailto:lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
>>Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 3:01 PM
>>Subject: Re: Mystify me!
>>
>>
>>>Julie
>>>
>>>The reason I believe that even the most arcane and ifficult philosophy is
>>>
>>important
>>
>>>is for two reasons - both of point towards why your heartfelt quote, which
>>>
>>is often
>>
>>>necessary in that it reminds us of the importance of addressing everyday
>>>
>>life -
>>
>>>which recently intruded into the G8 countries in an horrible way.
>>>
>>>The first reason is that alone of the western discourses philsophy took on
>>>
>>the
>>
>>>burden of the appalling acts of Auschwitz, Belson and other places and
>>>
>>decided it
>>
>>>was guilty. None of the other discourses-science, the military,
>>>
>>politicians,
>>
>>>historians and so on all walk forward into the abyss knowing that they are
>>>
>>innocent.
>>
>>>Philosophy uniquely accepted the social/political crimes of the century
>>>
>>and said yes
>>
>>>this is a problem for philosophy and felt guilty. (Rightly or wrongly is
>>>
>>not the
>>
>>>issue and of course I mean western philosophy...)
>>>
>>>The second reason relates to the importance that the invention of (new)
>>>
>>concepts has
>>
>>>for us as we wander down the increasingly chaotic and unstable streets of
>>>
>>our PM
>>
>>>everyday life (both of which are new and outrageuosly difficult concepts
>>>
>>to
>>
>>>understand). I say this not because I am hopelessly lost in a halcyon
>>>
>>dream of
>>
>>>earlier days but rather because post the first reason I think that iot is
>>>
>>necessary
>>
>>>to continue the philosophical process of analysing and struggling with the
>>>
>>miseries
>>
>>>and slavery of a society that has extended its dominion over the whole
>>>
>>planet - that
>>
>>>is to say the 'control society', the 'development society', the 'society
>>>
>>of the
>>
>>>spectecle', in which we live...
>>>
>>>This note may appear superfically to be indifferent to mothers and
>>>
>>children but I'd
>>
>>>take my direction in this instance from Irigaray and Kristeva (whose work
>>>
>>on
>>
>>>strangers and love seems very appropriate at the moment)... who argues for
>>>
>>'enriched
>>
>>>and enhanced secular values' as necessary above all else if we are to
>>>
>>achieve a
>>
>>>humane society.
>>>
>>>regards
>>>sdv
>>>
>>>>Perhaps I am unscholarly and hopelessly old-fashioned.  But when
>>>>
>>philosophy and
>>
>>>>politics becomes numb to mothers and children and families, then what
>>>>
>>good does
>>
>>>>it do anyone?
>>>>
>>>>I am struck by Hugh's comments:  a saying of names, a performance of
>>>>
>>rituals.
>>
>>>>Indeed.  May our rituals and sayings and grief not echo into silence.
>>>>
>>May
>>
>>>>Sisyphus overcome.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

HTML VERSION:

If I felt you had read and tried to understand my posts Steve, I would feel compelled to respond to this misunderstanding of my motives, beliefs and attitudes.

mal

----- Original Message -----

From: steve.devos-AT-krokodile.com

To: lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu

Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 3:55 PM

Subject: Re: Mystify me!

Mal
Such a cynical intellect...  but it feels like you are betraying a truth. Perhaps that's why the need for some god or other is so strong in you...  

regards
sdv

Matthew Asher Levy wrote:

Julie,
Maybe philosophy just prevents us from doing something more dangerous with
our intellects?
mal
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Devos <steve.devos-AT-tiscali.co.uk>
To: <lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 3:01 PM
Subject: Re: Mystify me!

Julie

The reason I believe that even the most arcane and ifficult philosophy is

important

is for two reasons - both of point towards why your heartfelt quote, which

is often

necessary in that it reminds us of the importance of addressing everyday

life -

which recently intruded into the G8 countries in an horrible way.

The first reason is that alone of the western discourses philsophy took on

the

burden of the appalling acts of Auschwitz, Belson and other places and

decided it

was guilty. None of the other discourses-science, the military,

politicians,

historians and so on all walk forward into the abyss knowing that they are

innocent.

Philosophy uniquely accepted the social/political crimes of the century

and said yes

this is a problem for philosophy and felt guilty. (Rightly or wrongly is

not the

issue and of course I mean western philosophy...)

The second reason relates to the importance that the invention of (new)

concepts has

for us as we wander down the increasingly chaotic and unstable streets of

our PM

everyday life (both of which are new and outrageuosly difficult concepts

to

understand). I say this not because I am hopelessly lost in a halcyon

dream of

earlier days but rather because post the first reason I think that iot is

necessary

to continue the philosophical process of analysing and struggling with the

miseries

and slavery of a society that has extended its dominion over the whole

planet - that

is to say the 'control society', the 'development society', the 'society

of the

spectecle', in which we live...

This note may appear superfically to be indifferent to mothers and

children but I'd

take my direction in this instance from Irigaray and Kristeva (whose work

on

strangers and love seems very appropriate at the moment)... who argues for

'enriched

and enhanced secular values' as necessary above all else if we are to

achieve a

humane society.

regards
sdv

Perhaps I am unscholarly and hopelessly old-fashioned.  But when

philosophy and

politics becomes numb to mothers and children and families, then what

good does

it do anyone?

I am struck by Hugh's comments:  a saying of names, a performance of

rituals.

Indeed.  May our rituals and sayings and grief not echo into silence.

May

Sisyphus overcome.