From: Robert Parr <robparrl@...>
Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2005 07:57:55 -0600
To: "Wittgenstein-Language_Mathematics_and_Science@yahoogroups.com" <Wittgenstein-
Language_Mathematics_and_Science@yahoogroups.com>
Conversation:New Member
Subject: New Member


Welcome to our new from Paris, France

I am the moderator of the Philosophy_and_Science of Language, and also, Wittgenstein-
Language_Mathemetics_Science. The former is over 4 years old and seems to have run out
of steam; with over 130 members only 2 to a handful were participants at any one time. It
has been inactive for several month, but it is there if someone has an observation or
question. During the course of the first group, I became solely interested in Wittgenstein,
who I do not consider a traditional nor a analytic philosopher except in the Tractatus
Logico Philophicus. Recently I began Wittgenstein_Language_Mathematics_Science. As of
now 3 have signed up (including yourself) besides myself and John Schmidt. He is a good
friend and a scientist, with a Ph.D in Biology now working at an honest job in Tempe,
Arizona. If all would be participants, to some degree at least, I think 4 or 5 [if John is
available] is enough to begin discussions.
We have a website at http://wikicities.com/wiki/Main_Page. Here you can quickly set up
an account Wiki name and password) that will let you look at any of their many
wikicities.com. Ours is http://language.wikicities.com/wiki/PSL:Topics_Outline. There is
also a place for Journals to publish on the web. They can be given a peer review and your
reply. I am working on one now---3 Parts done, one a long ways to go. [It is far enough
along for comments and questions.
http://academia.wikicities.com/wiki/Before_reading_the_Philosophical_Investigations:
_a_Necessary_Context

http://academia.wikicities.com/wiki/Reading_Philosophical_Investigations:
_Article_Content

http://academia.wikicities.com/wiki/
Aid_and_Commentary_on_Remarks_1_to_142_of_the_PHILOSOPHICAL_INVESTIGATIONS

http://academia.wikicities.com/wiki/
Commentary_on_PHILOSOPHICAL_INVESTIGATIONS:_Article_Content

I'm only doing the final rewrite on no. 60, but there is a lot of information there.

Of course it only takes one person to comment or ask questions. The first question I
would ask is what intellectual or academic background each is bringing to the study of
Wittgenstein. My background is not the usual course of College and postgraduate degrees
in Philosophy, either traditional or or analytic. It was amost Scholastic Philosophy, but I
ran away. lAfter high school in a Catholic school run by priests, I entered a Jesuit seminary
in Louisiana and lasted for over 4 years; quite an accomplishment I believe. I left in a
Great Depression. When I left I had to just stop---thinking that is. I did manage after I
married to get a teaching degree in teaching, which I'm sure you know is worthless, at
least for me. The depressions recurred; I would be declared cured; but it became harder
and harder as I grew older to convince an employer that this was just a phase I was going
through. Finally I was correctly diagnosed as manic-depressive. I was glad. Many great
men in history had been manic-depressive. Since science came up with the medications to
stabilize me, I am usually more or less sane.

Sometimes back in the 70's I decided it was time to start thinking and reading again. I
read a lot [as by bookshelves will testify to] and wrote a lot to clarify my thinking. I'm not
sure when the interest in Wittgenstein began. I'm sure it is over 5 years. I believe for over
a year at least, I understand him. That will sound immodest and will irritate some people.
I have never in my life been llike this. I blended in with the background. I have been told I
should be more tactful and throw in a Well-I-could-be-wrong now and them. If I thought
I could be wrong for a specific reason I will and do admit it. But I believe in clarity and
brevity in writing; too much tact gets unwieldy and unnecessary. I try to listen with
attention when someone else writes or speaks. I am not looking for a way to `beat' him in
an argument. I don't like arguing; I do like discussing where clarifications and
misunderstandings can be sorted out.

PARR