Language is a finite instrument crudely applied to an infinity of ideas, and one consequence of the failure to take account of this is that modern philosophy has made itself ridiculous by analysing such statements as, 'This is a good bacon sandwich,' or, 'Bedser had a good wicket.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Language cannot fully express infinite ideas, leading to absurdity in analyzing trivial statements.
- In plain terms
- Words are too small to hold big ideas, so we make fun of simple things.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize the limits of language when discussing complex ideas.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is philosophy too focused on triviality?
- How do you handle language limits?
Another view
Some simple statements do matter in context.
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