Silence as a Manner of Philosophical Discourse

Abstract

Philosophy always constructs itself on the action of saying, it realizes itself on it. We cannot even think of a silent philosophy and a philosophy that does not tend to say. State of silence, comes to the fore of philosophy at any time or another. The most advanced examples of this could be seen in Kant, Kierkegaard and Wittgenstein. These are such meaningful silences, that they are the most genuine answers almost given to the most fundamental questions of philosophy that is confronted. Especially when metaphysical subjects are in question –death is also included– it can be seen that philosophy is buried in deep waters of silence. The problem is that: Does silence end the speech, or start a new one? Is silence, really silence, or “a new start, a new sign, a new change” as Rilke pointed out? When we are silent does it mean that we have finished speaking, or else the real speech begins then? If silence is also a manner of talking, it can come out as a philosophical discourse. In this context another question can be asked: Does the everlasting silence that death brings, have philosophical value?