Opus 2022-092: Inscrutable Verbosity

There is a point where philosophy becomes nonsense and needs to be called something else, maybe sophistology or erosophy.  The word means love of wisdom and wisdom becomes anything but when it is obscured by inscrutable vocabulary.

In first year Greek we started translating from John.  Usually the words themselves are within the range of the average understanding.  The problem in clear translation is often not ability but willingness.  In fact the New Testament was written, not in classical Greek but in koine Greek.  This was the language actually used by the people who wanted to communicate and not just sound educated.  

I guess this is a problem not just for philosophy but for most academic fields.  I know that educators are specialists in coming up with jargon.  They would often take common words and put nonsense meanings to them.  Our “opportunity room” was what common people would call detention.  Common Core was really something with no core.  I sometimes get fed up with doctors who like to use their Latin instead of English.  Or take their abuse of the English.  A compound fracture is really a broken bone sticking out through the skin.  

There are times to use technical language if you are trying to be accurate.  Many people may not know that imbecile, moron and idiot are actually words from IQ testing and have specific IQ’s associated with each one.  Too often big words are just used to obfuscate.  That’s okay, I had to look it up myself.

Don’t fall into the trap.  Speak clearly, but speak.  We need to call evil, evil and tyranny, tyranny.  We are running out of time.

homo unius libri