January 23, 2005

Putting the 'imp' back in implicature

Posted by John Holbo

Next time I teach Grice on conversational implicature and the Cooperative Principle, I think I'll use this sentence as an example of how not to be maximally relevant:

In Trier, Germany, birthplace of Karl Marx, the prosecutor’s office has been investigating the claim of a woman that babies were being cut up and eaten in Satanist rituals.

Link via Jonathan Goodwin, who reliably bursts with timely and topical quotations. Such as this:

Philosophical works among [the Solipsists] are more or less of this sort: “Does the scarab roll dung into a ball paradigmatically?” “If a mouse urinates in the sea, is there a risk of shipwreck?” “Are mathematical points receptacles for spirits?” “Is a belch an exhalation of the soul?” “Does the barking of a dog make the moon spotted?” and many other arguments of this kind, which are stated and discussed with equal contentiousness. Their Theological works are: “Whether navigation can be established in imaginary space.” “Whether the intelligence known as Burach has the power to digest iron.” “Whether the souls of the Gods have color.” “Whether the excretions of Demons are protective to humans in the eighth degree.” “Whether drums covered with the hide of an ass delight the intellect.”

Discuss. In strict accordance with Grice's Cooperative Principle. That is, "make your conversational contribution [concerning the protective puissance of demon excretions, etc.] such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged."

Posted on January 23, 2005 01:53 PM UTC
Comments

Those quotes sound downright Pataphysical. Are you sure you didn’t pickup Faustroll instead of Grice? Though he’s fictional, that’s circumstantial, in these matters.

Posted by Keith · January 23, 2005 02:01 PM

Sorry this isn’t very cooperative, but

  • who do solipsists discuss things with?
  • what does it mean to be “among” solipsists?
  • do Grice’s conversational maxims have relevance for solipsists?
Posted by derek · January 23, 2005 02:26 PM

No doubt, you would prefer the following, where the liberal media conceal the important links between Marx and Satan:

The prosecutor’s office in Trier, near the border with Luxembourg, said that it had been investigating alleged cases of cannibalism and rape by Satanists since the middle of last year.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-544282,00.html

So who is the author of the marx quote? How many pseudonyms does Satan have?

You link to

http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050111-124204-4663r.htm

The same story appears under a different name at

http://www.insightmag.com/news/832088.html

Could UPI be a Satanist front?

Posted by paul · January 23, 2005 02:39 PM

Ah, but it’s only irrelevant if you ignore Richard Wurmbrand’s seminal contribution to our understanding of Marx’s thought.

Gestes et Opinions - one of my favourite books of all time - esp. the final part where Jarry deduces the surface area of God.

Posted by Henry · January 23, 2005 02:59 PM
from a New York Post editorial:
Bill Clinton’s former treasury secretary dared utter the opinion one week ago at an academic conference that, in his words, “innate differences” in gender might account for the greater number of advanced degrees in math and science going to men.
Posted by abb1 · January 23, 2005 03:09 PM

I read it as “Stalinist rituals,” which made sense. My mind will apparently only tolerate so much irrelevance.

Posted by Adam Kotsko · January 23, 2005 11:59 PM

I know it is tasteless to advertise myself here, but the background to that paragraph is fascinating as a piece of antiquarian science.

Posted by David Tiley · January 24, 2005 12:10 PM
Followups

→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA
→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA
→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA
→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA
→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA
→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA
→ exhalations of the barking soul.
Excerpt: Here is a single paragraph which is logically twisted, a byway of forgotten history, and exquisitely silly, all at the same time. It helps to know that solipsism is the "belief that only I myself and my own experiences are...Read more at BARISTA

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.