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Philosophical Haiku

G.E. Moore (1873-1958)

by Terence Green

Such obscurity:
Needless confusion contrived.
Analyse the truth!

George Edward Moore is rare among philosophers, because for the life of him he couldn’t understand why other philosophers made everything so complicated. His approach to philosophy, proceeding on the basis that things don’t need to be complicated, was so radical that Moore was considered revolutionary – or alternatively, was dismissed as a naïve simpleton posing as a philosopher.

Early twentieth century English-speaking philosophy was dominated by thinkers who said that ordinary language was hopelessly inadequate to the task of ascertaining absolute truths – what was needed was some arcane, abstruse, recondite, incomprehensible idealist investigation, which alone would reveal to us the timeless verities we seek.

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