Wednesday, October 3, 2012

     One of the things that caught my eye this week was Dharmakirti.  This is the idea that language is just the use of concepts even though initial perception is non-conceptual.  That being said, I feel the question of - if it is ever possible to truly communicate perfectly what one wants too - arises.  While I originally would've said yes, this has made me reconsider.  After all, things like human instinct or emotion are usual first reactions and can only be explained in words created to represent them (and can be easily misinterpreted) .  This, then, is reminiscent of our discussion on the polyvalence of words.  If everyone perceives words meanings in different ways then the concepts explained/represented by words are also not consistent.
     In addition, according to Dharmakirti these concepts/words are just distortions that arose for people's needs and desires.  While it makes sense that language arose to express wants, I also feel it hints that language is manipulative (which leans towards lies and bending of truths to obtain wants).  If this is true then the impossibility of true communication and mutual understanding of ones perceptions is furthered.

1 comment:

  1. Yes, for Dharmakīrti, concepts are distortions and pretty much primary manifestation of ignorance. Liberated experience which sees things how they actually are is totally nonconceptual.

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