Yet each of us, reflecting on this centerless world, must admit that one very large fact seems to have been omitted from its description: the fact that a particular person in it is himself. What kind of fact is that? What kind of fact is it – if it is a fact – that I am Thomas Nagel? — Nagel
I think the place to start is by exercising our 'massively distributed' modes of agency in solidarity to struggle against political-economic-cultural systems which minmize and/or eliminate the social agency of any humans anywhere possible for us to do so. In other words, to the degree we humans are emancipatory and disutilitarian with respect to all humans (as well as non-human species) is the degree to which, imo, we become more than "just objects" (i.e. atomized beasts of burden, cattle, sheep, etc). :death: :flower:How can we humans avoid being just objects? — Angelo Cannata
From there I wager we can sweep away the notion of the universal essence, or other imagined connections, which presuppose a sort of ectoplasm between human beings. We can stop tying human beings together with false concepts and words to achieve an artificial basis of value, and discover value in the unique and original properties of each human being. — NOS4A2
Yet these words need shared meaning between individuals for this to be achieved. It need not be ectoplasm, but it needs an inter-subjectivity whereby the words mean roughly similar things. Thus, uniqueness itself is something one must understand to understand others are unique. But then, there is a sameness already built into the language meaning.
And thus, what is this shared "space"? Well, it isn't location, as you say. But there is a sort of type of consciousness that humans share.
"Shared meaning", "consciousness", "inter-subjectivity", "uniqueness", "sameness"—all of these words lack any referent in time and space, despite what the grammar suggests. As such, there is nothing of the sort. Their existence can be seriously questioned, and should they be used as indications of worth and value, the discovery of their non-existence risks leading one to nihilism. — NOS4A2
Yes, I’m using the language in the hope that you know what they mean. I’m not sharing with you meaning, or anything weird like that. If we could share meaning, or the words conveyed meaning, you’d understand what I meant even if you didn’t understand the language. — NOS4A2
No, you apply your own understanding and meaning to the words. You can do this because you acquired language in your formative years, not because I passed you some meaning with this text. — NOS4A2
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