I think you’re the opposite of unresponsive If I’ve been unresponsive to you before it’s because I can’t pick out exactly what it is that you’re trying to say. My criticism of your lack of clarity isn’t meant as offense, it’s just a barrier that affects my ability to respond as well as I would like. And the whole mesa analogy thing is just another level of removal between me and your point - and not for lack of trying, I’ve somewhat lost a taste for trying any further to get to it. You might just as easily blame me for not being able to understand you - I think it’s your explanations, but I don’t want to guarantee that 100%. But it’s always nice to have some self-improvement to work on, no?
I wouldn’t be so hasty in calling victory, it seems more like an impasse. Neither of us has moved, and you don’t seem to think you’ve “lost” any more than I do. For me, I can’t see you saying anything more than “well actions are the ultimate arbiter of what you believe, regardless of what you say”, or words to that effect.
It might have gotten lost somewhere that by my “actions” not matching what I say, I mean by my use of language - involving all the usual syntax that inherently implies identity. Pronouns like “I” and “you” especially. I don’t mean by my physical movements around the world. Those actions are perfectly in tune with the ultimate reality that I’m declaring. I think the actions of the physical world take precedence over the action of using conventional language, because truth takes precedence over utility. I don’t think my use of language ought to make others incredulous concerning what I’m using language to say - it’s just a means to communicate, not a direct presentation of the Continuous Experience that is the world. Language is “of” the world, it isn’t the world itself.
So based on this, I can’t accept the argument that “actions are the ultimate arbiter etc.” because it doesn’t apply to what I mean. That’s why I can’t, in all honesty, concede any defeat to you. I get the feeling that I’m constantly missing points of yours because I don’t understand the sentence construction, so continuing to get to the bottom of this is unlikely to get beyond the impasse where we are…
I have the same issue with Meno - perhaps it’s me who is at fault. I rarely understand what he’s saying so I tend to avoid engagement. For example, to his above post - I can barely make head nor tail of it. Apparently I didn’t qualify consciousness or something? I don’t know what was being required of me here. I think I can make out the gist of most of the sentences, but I can’t tell what his point is. Perhaps somebody can translate? I’m sorry, Meno - I don’t mean to be rude. If it’s any consolation - English is a dumb language. Unfortunately it’s the only one I speak with anything close to fluency.