Theses, Faeces, Syntheses

O the language of the thesis! O the octopus of Academe! ‘As I argued in my previous book, ‘Some definitions of ‘definition’ in contemporary philosophy’ – an argument which I hope to pursue in a following volume, (and I quote) : ‘to define what we mean by ‘definition’ we must first consider the nature of definition: can it be itself defined? Is its definition itself a retreat from what definition defines? …’ and the wood of academic chairs creaking as a lecture ends, from which once the young sap rose like the hope of definition dries, decays and dessicates.