Re: Direct conversation
Posted by
Steve Smith on
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Re-Direct-conversation-tp3137870p3140383.html
Nicholas Thompson wrote:
Russ, and Glen, and Steve, n
all
Ironically, I am with Russ on
this one! I believe both in the possibility and the benefits of
clarity.
I expected that when Russ and I were done, we would be able to
agree on an articulation of our positions, where they are similar,
where different, etc. In fact, one of the skills I most revere is the
ability to state another person's position to that person's
satisfaction. And, in fact, at one point, I thought I had achieved
such an articulation, only to have Russ tell me I had got it wrong.
My guess is that Russ has his feet deeply in Kant, and I have neither
boots nor courage high enough to go in there after him. My son, who is
a philosopher, has as good as looked me in the eye and said, "You aint
man enough to read Kant!"
I studied Kant when I was too young and foolish to know better... but
then I had been raised on folks like Ayn Rand and Robert Heinlein so
Kant was no challenge. Today I think I would find Kant a bit
intimidating.
I am curious about the implications of "one of the skills I most revere
is the ability to state another person's position to that person's
satisfaction". It seems to have implications on the root
discussion... The two ways I can obtain a high degree of confidence
that I am communicating with another is if I can articulate their
position to their satisfaction and vice versa... I prefer the former
over the latter... in the sense that I am almost never satisfied in
their articulation... at most I accept it with some reservations. But
if they can keep a straight face while I reel off my version of their
understanding of a point, then I try hard not to think too hard about
it and call it good. How (if at all) does this fit into the 3rd/1st
person discussion this all started with?
- Steve
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