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Is Grice the greatest philosopher that ever lived?

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

American Informalism

What's the problem with S. R. Chapman, the authorised biographer of our regular star, Grice (vide her "Implicature: the movie -- with a script by S. R. Chapman. Nominated for best-furrin-film in Hawaii).

Her Britness. She has a whole chapter entitled, unamusingly (but I love her), "American Formalism". No such thing!

She is playing with Hilary "Blunt" Putnam's retort to Grice, after he had (Grice had) filled the blackboard of Harvard's Emerson Hall with silly diagrams.

"You are _too_ formal -- and you know it"

But "I didn't -- at the time". "Now I do" (Grice, Prejudices and Predilections). Perhaps a bit too late, since his vintage years had been spent with students having to wear telescopes and microscopes to see what subindexes they would be tested on earning that Gricean Studies degree.

But he was from England, hence formal, too at parts.

N. E. Allott thinks he (Grice) is thinking "Hampshire" when he writes "Shropshire" (in 2001) -- but then, what _is_ Hampshire's claim to fame? Tudor Cornwall.

On the other hand, the informalism of Americans leave you cold:


Q1: Where has Ora-gone, boys?

She's taking Okla-home, boys.


Q2 How did Wiscon-sin, boys?

She stole a New-brass-key, boys.


Q3

What did Della-ware, boys?

She wore a New Jersey, boys.


Q4


What did Io-weigh, boys?

She weighed a Washing-ton, boys.


Q5

Where did Ida-hoe, boys?

She hoed in Merry-land, boys.

Q6


What did Missy-sip, boys?

She sipped her Mini-soda, boys.


Q7


What did Connie-cut, boys?

She cut her shaggy Mane, boys.


Q8

What did Ohi-owe, boys?

She owed her Taxes, boys,

Q9

How did Flora-die, boys?

She died of Misery, boys.


Etc.

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