Abstract

The traditional analytic understanding of Western philosophy takes it to be a set of inquiries that aim at true theories about fundamental problems or questions. Moreover, it tacitly assumes that there is no text in philosophy. This study articulates this assumption, showing that what philosophy is cannot be separated from assumptions about the textuality of philosophy . Two distinct senses of "text" are identified, and it is argued that the failure to observe this distinction leads to misunderstanding concerning the textuality of philosophy. The relationship of writing, style, and rhetoric to the products of philosophical inquiry is then examined. Rather than attack the textuality of philosophy directly, most philosophers deny textuality a role in philosophy by maintaining that writing, style and rhetoric are insignificant or even detrimental to the products of philosophical inquiry. It is argued that the textual nature of the products of philosophical inquiry is indirectly challenged through primarily hostile positions on the value of writing, style and rhetoric in philosophy. Consequently, philosophical commonplaces like the belief that philosophy should not be written, or that philosophical style is styleless, or that rhetoric is antithetical to philosophy are viewed as indicative of a more general belief in the non-textuality of philosophy. This study shows how positions on the nature of philosophy dialectically support and maintain these and other philosophical commonplaces on writing, style and rhetoric. Hence, rather than pointing to the non-textuality of philosophy, examinations of the relationship of writing, style and rhetoric to philosophy provide a richer understanding of the textuality of philosophy. In addition, an account of how a cultural studies model of textuality affects a picture of the nature of philosophy is offered. This study concludes that the dominant belief among philosophers that the products of philosophical inquiry are non-textual is ultimately untenable. It also maintains that acknowledging the textuality of philosophy is not necessarily the end of philosophy or a move away from philosophical truth, but rather should be viewed as part of a more complete understanding of the nature and limits of both philosophy and the products of philosophical inquiry