>
> where do we stop, indeed? okay, sam, I'll give you the pointing
> thing if only to move it along
Well...you asked. There are different kind of definition, ostensive is one of them.
> ... but it only works so far.
yes.
>
> concepts - which is what this thread was discussing originally -
> aren't just words, right? how do you define concepts by pointing?
Difficult question which I'll leave aside for now.
>
> moving along: how would you see the difference between ideological
> speech and non-ideological speech?
A complicated question. Michael Hoover posted I think 16 different uses of the word "ideology" here the other day.
Ideological speech is speech that is (1)not empirically verified, (2)has no explanatory power yet (3)has wide acceptance as truth. Its natural to ask given 1&2, why 3? When certain ideas become dominant, it is natural to ask why. When these ideas have no empirical foundation the answer must lie in the domain of sociology and ideology. Who disseminates these ideas? The intelligentsia. What is the social role of the intelligentsia? Manipulation and social control. Intellectuals have access to power and privilege through the preservation of capitalist ideology and capitalist institutions. Its not profound that persons who benefit from capitalism will sing its praises.
Sam Pawlett