Witti-Buch2 2001.qxd - Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society

Jan Werszowiec Plazowski, Marek Suwara
Information filtering is not purely psychological. The criteria we humans use to select
between the important and the unimportant base on the language competence
objectively tested in the language performance.
A good example of information filtering in natural language is the differentiation
made between rhetorical questions and the questions about information. No sensible
person, having the language competence, would give an answer to a rhetorical question,
while not giving an answer to a question about information would not only be considered
impolite but also would be a violation of the communicative aspect of speech.
Another, more interesting example is the filtering procedure we impose on reports
resulting from experiments. Every time a scientist carries out an experiment he/she has
to trust the information gathered through the procedures he/she uses. The particular
criteria used to distinguish between the properly and improperly prepared experiments
belong to the domain of a particular science and apparently are not just linguistic. On the
language platform, however, they find an expression in the assertion of truth to reporting
statements. This assertion of truth is another example of information “filtering”.
A similar kind of “filtering” procedure is used while analysing so called “thought
experiments”, though the context here is limited to the content of the theory.
The most general case of using information filtering is establishing scientific
theories. Metaphysical concepts get concretised into theoretical framework by assigning
the meaning to objects, relations between objects, dynamical properties etc.
Metaphysics consists in a kind of archetypes for symbolic thinking. Such thinking does
not define the precise meaning of a symbol, because such definition is intrinsically
impossible. Symbols are of metaphoric character, which means any concretisation of a
symbol depends on cultural environment. Any scientific theory uses metaphysical
concepts, which apparently are theoretical terms, while resulting from wider worldview.
Examples are substance, time, space, causality, atomism. Inside a theory, we can give
the procedure to measure time, for example, but justification for such procedure lies
beyond the theoretical framework, and is founded on metaphysical beliefs characteristic
for a given stage of culture evolution. The symbols function universally while their
meanings change.
It is noteworthy that the same situation takes place in ethics. The norms can stay
universal while their interpretation changes, sometimes quite radically.
The above shows importance of metaphysics in language functioning. Metaphysics
is not just “senseless sentences” since it gives meaning to fundamental concepts. To
start talking I have to assume the existence of the “receiver” of information. To make
physics I have to assume its objects, like electrons, fields etc., exist. Than I can try to
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