Peter Kreeft: Glory and Splendor: The Beauty of Language

JRR Tolkien; continue to see how he fits in.
Well, we've been talking about beauty. Let's talk more about the beauty of language, and thus talk a little more about language.

The goal of the philosopher is logos. Logos, like its Chinese counterpart tao, is an incomparably profound and multivalent word which has many meanings, essentially three. First, the ultimate nature of things, the one source of all essential reality and intelligibility. Second, human intelligence, wisdom, understanding, truth, as the knowledge of that essential reality. Thirdly, right language, right communication or speech or word or argument, that is, the expression of that knowledge.
continue at Catholic Education

This is one of the most profound articles I've ever read.  

4 comments:

Teresa said...

Good post!

Kat said...

Wow. I gained new understanding of why I don't like Tolkien's books. I was never able to get past his style, and this article explains very well what I was never able to articulate. I'm more of a smooth, rhythmic, poetry-language lover, myself, so the hammer-beating-anvil approach does not sit well on my sensibilities.

That said, fascinating article. I'm going to have to listen to his whole talk now.

wolskerj said...

Peter Kreeft is one of those handful of writers so good, it's worthwhile trying to read every word they've ever written.
Thank you for posting this.

(Those of us who have more time to listen than to read can hear Prof. Kreeft himself give this talk in its entirety at www.peterkreeft.com)

Dad29 said...

Thanks! I needed that, for a purpose which I won't explain here and now, but having MUCH to do with "logos" and what surrounds it in Liturgy.