Theme 1: Reflection

Just as Russell explains that different persons perceive sense data differently they way people interpret his texts also differs. You can always interpret written words (and the speaking language as well) in different ways, depending on many things, like previous experiences or knowledge about the subject.  After reading several blog posts explaining the same four questions I see different interpretations of Russell’s words. Some have interpreted him literally while others have processed the texts based on earlier experiences. They way people choose to interpret a text written by someone else can never be true or false. Sure, I can disagree with someone and believe that my opinion is the right one, but that’s only based on my experiences and ideas. Someone else could justify the opposite opinion and claim it’s the right one. Whether you’re right or wrong depends on how you can justify your opinion and convince other people to believe your opinion is true.

At first when I started read the text I didn’t entirely understand the purpose of the texts. My previous experience in reading philosophical texts equals zero and it differs from reading novels or scientific texts. While reading Russell’s texts my mind kept on spinning. I really had to reflect upon each sentence and try to grasp the meaning of the words and since there’s no right or wrong I could twist around my mind many times. It was then I realized the purpose of reading these texts, to really reflect about the content. To think critically and question the ideas and thoughts written by the author, his word does not necessarily equal the truth. This kind of thinking I did during the reading is something I need to put in my toolbox and bring with me during the rest of my education and also through life.

The knowledge I receive from this course will help me to reflect and question “truth” and “knowledge” I will encounter in the future. Just because I read something in a scientific report it doesn’t mean I have knowledge in the particular subject, there’s so much more than just reading the written words. What are the underlying causes and what is the purpose? Questions I need to reflect upon, all the time.