So my semester has come to an end, and my mind has more leisure to hash through arbitrary thoughts that may have been somewhat stiffled in its compliance to the necessity of scholastic discipline that brings about desirable grades. Yet probably not too much (and for that I’m thankful), for my studies surround things that my grey matter tends to gravitate toward anyway and I AM deeply fascinated with Epistemology of the great Ontology. For it is this very knowing of the Essence which is the attempted goal of all philosophies. Of course, certain thinkers deny this vehemently–Nietzsche of course claimed that “Natural philosophy is only a world-exposition and world-arrangement (according to us, if I may say so!) and not a world-explanation” (Beyond Good and Evil, 10). Yet it must be pointed out that Nietzsche’s view itself would also fall under this declaration; for placing his dogmatic ascertation of absolute exposition opposed to explanation presents us with a paradox.

Nietzsche is not the only philosopher whose arguments are self-referentially incoherent whenever they attempt to escape from Epistemology–some of my favorite modern diabolical geniuses are French homosexual atheists who happen to to love Deconstruction (Foucault is the gay one). Foucault, Derrida, and Levi-Strausse (Constructionist along with Bakhtin who is Russian) have some incredibly Intellectually stirring arguments on the nature of language and how it is the very limiter of the world, for what exists beyond language? Every thought, exclamation, idea, sensorary impression–all these things only have meaning through language (which, by the way is inherently unstable itself and actually lacks meaning because it is merely derived from custom and necessity rather than a “center”). Yet those who love the British Romantics find these ideas patently absurd–TS Eliot complained that language is too cumbersome for the mighty thoughts and ideas that press upon our hearts.

Of course, the belief “in the beginning language” is as much an epistemological claim as “in the beginning consciousness” or “in the beginning Christ,” or whatever else have you. Which I suppose brings us roundabout to the very reason why I enjoy philosophy and Literature. For as Arthur Holmes is reported to say (secondary quote from a friend of mine who studied at Wheaton): “All truth is God’s truth.”

The preponderance of theories and dogmas regarding epistemology, ethics, and the theoretical bounds of the human mind, among other things, are all evidence of a firmly entrenched noetic system that drives the human mind to understand and subject all that is to an ordered system. So, “let us press on to know the Lord” (Hos 6:3).

PS. Wittgenstein was a language theorist who “conquered” language and decided to coach basketball and teach elementary school…he soon realized his early logical atomism views were dreadfully wrong and emerged from his retirement to formulate his “language games” theory. I like his name and was probably planning on going more in that direction when I began, hence why he appears in the title…