Grice's Latitudinal Unity of Philosophy

---- by J. L. Speranza

Let's review some important dates in the latitudinal unity of philosophy. Quoted material by Dale, Comment on "The Dale Blog Law":

"In 323 B.C.E., Alexander died. Then, in 322 B.C.E., Aristotle died."

------- Yes, he had been his tutor. I forget if anyone played Aristotle in the film with Colin Farrell. It could have been Derek Jacobi. Apparently Aristotle was into animals (a passion inherited by Grice, another philosopher) because they were brought from his campaigns by his tuttee.

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"In 44 B.C.E., Julius Caesar died. Then, in 43 B.C.E., Cicero."

Yes. On one occasion, Grice spoke of 'unlike the brutes, we', blah blah. It struck me that however called Brutus "Brutus" was possibly being metaphorical, or THINKING he was being metaphorical. I may need to expand on that.

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"In 180 C.E., Aurelius died: both a regent and a philosopher. (This is the crossover point.)"

Yes, I want to say that Aurelius held a strange idea on 'freedom' but first I have to fabricate the letter. Anscombe was laughed at by Rogers Albritton, "Miss Anscombe in chains!" when Anscombe had suggested that if she were chained she would not have 'free' will; but it strikes me (having read some of Aurelius's letters) that it would be pretty colloquial in 'ordinary' Roman to say things like "My slave is an irresponsible one". This should shed light on issues of moral autonomy or not.

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"In 525 C.E., Boethius died. Then, in 526 C.E., Theodoric the Great died."

To think his little book originated philosphy in Grice's country: England. Apparently, "Consolatio" was a favourite of King Alfred, who 'translated' into English (from Latin). I used to try to learn Anglo-Saxon, and I recall that some of the most fascinating grammatical terminology in Old English (e.g. 'daeland', for 'participle') comes from attempts by regents and monks to make accessible to the Anglo-Saxons the points of Graeco-Roman civilisation. The other day, I was reminded crucially on that. I was examining the etymology of 'eleutheros' -- 'free' in Greek, and Short/Lewis notes it is possibly NOT cognate with German 'leute', people. Now, if it is possibly NOT cognate, it means at least 50 people at some time thought it was, and wrote about it. Now, 'leute' is cognate with English 'lad', as per this couplet in Piers Plowman:

Þow doted daffe!' quod she, 'dulle are þi wittes.
To litel Latyn þow lernedest, leode, in þi youþe.

My translation:

Thou dotty dafty!' said she, 'dull are thine wits.
'Too little Latin thou learnedst, lad, in thy youth."

--- for he was a _free_ one.

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"In 804 C.E., Alcuin died. In 814 C.E., Charlemagne died."

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Alcuin is one of my favourite French philosophers. His real name was Alhwine. His grammar makes for some pretty fascinating reading. It is included in Migne, "Patrologia Latina". I don't think Western civilisation was in need of yet another Grammar, but there you go. It is a 'speculative grammar'. He also wrote on 'logic' and 'rhetoric'. "Trivial stuff," said Charlemagne. ("trivium" vs. "quadrivium"). He also wrote a poem on a cuckoo, as I recall. He was originally from York, as I recall. He possibly was the 'first' cause of The University of Paris.

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"In 1650, Descartes died. In 1689, Queen Christina died."

--------------------- Grice of course spent some time on this, "Clear and distinct perception" in WoW. Etc.

"As far as I know, nobody ever discovered this law before."

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Indeed.

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Next, I will try to focus on Grice's milieu in closer detail, since Oxford and Regency are related, of course. The Chancelor of Oxford is The Queen, so she was the Regent for Grice in more than one way. When Grice's friend, G. J. Warnock, became "Vice-Chancelor" of Oxford, that meant the head-head, for the Queen-qua-head is 'symbolic' more than official. It is different in Cambridge (possibly).

Thanks for the histoires!