Abstract
A framework is developed for understanding what is “taken for granted” both in philosophy and in life generally, which may serve to orient philosophical inquiry and make it more effective. The framework takes in language and its development, as well as mathematics, logic, and the empirical sphere with particular reference to the exigencies of life. It is evaluated through consideration of seven philosophical issues concerned with such topics as solipsism, sense data as the route to knowledge, the possible reduction of geometry to logic, and the existence and status of human rights. Various dichotomies and the notion of continuity are evidently highly strategic.
Highlights
The project of this paper is to delineate a structure for what is “taken for granted” in philosophical inquiry and by making that form explicit thereby further the philosophical enterprise; in this connection, consideration is given to the treatment of seven philosophical issues
He introduces a helpful metaphor: “That is to say, the questions that we raise and our doubts depend on the fact that some propositions are exempt from doubt, are as it were hinges on which those turn” (Wittgenstein, 1969: Paragraph 341; Pritchard, 2011: p. 530). In going further he connects some “hinge” propositions to our “natural” dispositions and to our animal nature. His point here is that life is conducted on the basis of practices within which language and behaviour are integrated for the achievement of practical goals which brings in a presumption of certainty; since uncertainty could not lead to action
The earlier sections of this article successively focus firstly on language, on “what is the case” including logic, mathematics and the empirical sphere; on the continuity of language including the understanding that we inhabit a world of objects, and, the exigencies which shape life and language
Summary
The project of this paper is to delineate a structure for what is “taken for granted” in philosophical inquiry and by making that form explicit thereby further the philosophical enterprise; in this connection, consideration is given to the treatment of seven philosophical issues. In going further he connects some “hinge” propositions to our “natural” dispositions and to our animal nature His point here is that life is conducted on the basis of practices within which language and behaviour are integrated for the achievement of practical goals which brings in a presumption of certainty; since uncertainty could not lead to action. Perhaps this is going too far because we often proceed on the basis of a combination of hope and expectation, but no doubt there would be other matters taken for granted or—temporally at least—taken as given. In an attempt to alleviate the pressure of that philosopher’s stern gaze there follows a consideration of how various philosophical questions may be treated which it is hoped demonstrates some strengths of a structured approach
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