Trying To Implicate

The Concept of Trying, by Severin Schroeder, Student of Christ Church, Oxford, in Philosophical Investigations, vol. 8.


Schroeder (no reference to the cat) writes:

"It is widely held that whenever

someone


φs,

that person tries to do φ"


--- rather than

"tries AND does" as my greengrocer says. (He also says 'apple's').

Schroeder writes:

"I examine arguments by [the recently deceased Aussie-born, Oxford-trained] B. O'Shaughnessy and J.[ennifer, a female] Hornsby, and considerations by [H.] P. Grice in support of that thesis."


"I argue that none of them are convincing."


To him. He forgets to add, "to him". They are convincing TO ME (Grice's) and Schroder should know that.

Schroeder goes on:

"The remainder of the paper"

or essay. As Grice said, "A paper is, strictly, ONE page. Some of my tutees would disimplicate at this point"

"defends
an analysis of the concept of trying along the
lines opposed by Grice et al."

He can do that because he thought he was safe at Christ Church. Try to (or try and) oppose Grice at Oxford's BEST and only philosophy college: St. John's!

"By speaking of someone's trying to φ
the speaker leaves the room for failure
or the possibility of failure."

If HE leaves the room. I'm surprised Schroeder considers this example (leaving the room), seeing that the pretentious Christ Church, unlike the much more academic St. John's, has the biggest rooms in Oxford!

Schroder goes on:

"This account of the function of the word 'try' makes
it clear what is wrong with the claim that
whenever someone φs, that person tries to do φ. For
that claim amounts to saying that every action
is either a failure or a possible failure – which
clearly one can't say of any action that one
has already acknowledged to be successful."

--- Again, this apparent sense of superiority springs from the fact that Christ Church is supposed to be a prestigious college!

--

He should be crediting D. F. Pears, the ONLY philosopher at Christ Church whom Grice LOVED (and loved! and loved!).

Schroeder:

"Furthermore, whether an action is possibly a
failure depends on how much one knows about it. Hence
the question whether in itself an action does or
does not involve trying is as misguided as
the question whether it's intrinsically unexpected. It may
be correct for some to describe it
as 'an attempt to φ', but incorrect for others."

--- Scroeder should give emphasis to Grice, "Intention and UNcertainty." Knowledge has NOTHING to do with it!