In addition,
primitive, deterministic inferences are debunked, and a better
image of complexity, as it pertains to the living subject,
becomes available.
As an entry in a database (huge by all means), the past sheds its
romantic aura, only to align itself with the present and the
future. The illiterate attitude, reflected, for instance, in the
ignorance of the story of the past, results not from lack of
writing and reading skills. It is not caused by bad history
teachers or books, as some claim. Decisive is the fact that our
pragmatic framework, i.e. our new practical experiences of
self-constitution, is disconnected from the experiences of the
past.
Knowing and understanding
Probably one of the most important aspects of current pragmatics
is the connection between knowing and understanding. We are
involved in many activities without really understanding how
they take place. Our e-mail reaches us as it reaches those to
whom we send messages, even though most people have no idea how.
The postal system is easier to understand. We know what happens:
letters are delivered to the post office, sorted, and sent to
their destinations by bus, train, plane, or boat. Determining
the paths of an e-mail message is trivial for a machine, but
almost impossible for a human being. As the complexity of an
endeavor increases, chances that individuals constituting
themselves in the activity know how everything works and
understand the various mechanisms involved decrease.
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