One possible answer is this. Gravity is curved space, not a metaphor. The scene i mentioned was a description of an accelerating object in a very limited space and time region. It did not mention gravity.
The acceleration of a falling object near the earth increases as it gets closer. Etc, etc. --- Frank C. Wimberly 140 Calle Ojo Feliz, Santa Fe, NM 87505 505 670-9918 Santa Fe, NM On Sat, May 8, 2021, 10:03 PM <[email protected]> wrote: > EricS, > > > > I hope I am not the metaphor Nazi; I certainly don’t want to be him. I > certainly don’t want to execute anybody for using metaphors. On the > contrary. Rather my point is that they are essential to good thought and > that many scientists who voice contempt for metaphors use them regularly > all the time in ways that are essential to their work. The Pragmatic value > of recognizing that we are using metaphors is that such a recognition leads > to a discussion of whether we are using them well. All metaphors, be it > good ones or bad ones, import “surplus meaning” into the terms of use, and > this surplus meaning can affect scientific thinking for good or ill > depending on whether we acknowledge it and systematically explore its > implications. Surplus meaning is often the wet edge of discovery but some > times the hidden assumption that keeps us from seeing the plain facts > before us. The clearest example of this is the metaphor of natural > selection in which Darwin imagined that nature is like a giant pigeon > coop. This metaphor contain contains an infinity of useful implications > and a few that are down right poisonous. It’s important to know which are > which. I think Frank’s example of gravity is perhaps another great > example. Isn’t it one of Einstein’s greatest insights that the metaphor of > attraction implicit in “gravity”, which arose from experiments with > primitive magnets in Newton’s time, is not as useful in many instances as > the metaphor that massive objects warp the space around them. So, one of > Einstein’s great contributions to physics is that he introduced a new > metaphor? Do I have that wrong? > > > > Do regard your affection for poetry as a sinful indulgence or do you > regard it (as I would) as an essential feature of your scientific > imagination. > > > > I don’t know why it is that moving house seems to free me up to think > about everything but moving house. One is not allowed parting shots in > parliamentary debate, and I probably shouldn’t be taking them here. > > > > Nick > > > > > > > > > > Nick Thompson > > [email protected] > > https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/ > > > > *From:* Friam <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *David Eric Smith > *Sent:* Saturday, May 8, 2021 9:13 PM > *To:* The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group < > [email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [FRIAM] Morphogenisis > > > > English has two categories of verbs: intransitive and transitive. > > > > If you use an intransitive verb — “yet it moves” — the Metaphor Nazi will > catch you coming: claiming you are representing volition. > > > > If you use a transitive verb — “it is moved by gravity” — the Metaphor > Nazi will catch you going: claiming an agent/patient relation, where the > agent is probably (metaphorically) God (!), or whatever God is a metaphor > for. > > > > And we have from Ecclesiastes (the verse in praise of the Metaphor Nazi): > > > http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/59.html#:~:text=If%20there%20be%20nothing%20new%20(1)%3A%20Compare%20Ecclesiastes%201.9,new%20thing%20under%20the%20sun.%22 > <http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/59.html#:~:text=If%20there%20be%20nothing%20new%20(1):%20Compare%20Ecclesiastes%201.9,new%20thing%20under%20the%20sun.%22> > > Ecclesiastes 1.9: "The thing that hath been is that which shall be; and > that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new > thing under the sun." > > > > To which the scientist (note small “s”) would like to assert “the language > of mechanics is not English; speaking it is a new practice available to > people to participate in”. > > > > But let Shakespeare have the last word: > > > > If there be nothing new, but that which is > Hath been before, how are our brains beguil'd, > Which, labouring for invention, bear amiss > The second burthen of a former child! > O, that record could with a backward look, > Even of five hundred courses of the sun, > Show me your image in some antique book, > Since mind at first in character was done! > That I might see what the old world could say > To this composed wonder of your frame; > Whether we are mended, or whe'r better they, > Or whether revolution be the same. > O! sure I am, the wits of former days > To subjects worse have given admiring praise. > > > > Eric > > > > > > On May 9, 2021, at 11:36 AM, Prof David West <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > The ball accelerated is clearly a metaphor as it implies that the ball is > doing a specific thing, that the ball has behavior and probably volition. > This is clearly not what you literally mean. > > > > davew > > > > > > On Sat, May 8, 2021, at 4:57 PM, Frank Wimberly wrote: > > "The ball accelerated at approximately 32 feet per second squared at sea > level in a vacuum." > > > > doesn't seem to be a metaphor to me. > > > > --- > > Frank C. Wimberly > > 140 Calle Ojo Feliz, > > Santa Fe, NM 87505 > > > > 505 670-9918 > > Santa Fe, NM > > > > On Sat, May 8, 2021, 3:07 PM <[email protected]> wrote: > > Listen, Fella! > > > > It’s metaphors all the way down! > > > > [shoe thrown] > > > > n > > > > Nick Thompson > > [email protected] > > https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/ > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwordpress.clarku.edu%2fnthompson%2f&c=E,1,76cwsDofsJZfToBxaQU6zR5cllp_k59wtln_iQtSrD8ozjyEN9kt0FPUs4RnuGnWMKFW-nOw3wJjMgAgCJAkSTlh3C3YKbI75yNyUMUvvw,,&typo=1> > > > > > > *From:* Friam <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Gary Schiltz > > *Sent:* Saturday, May 8, 2021 1:36 PM > > *To:* The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group < > [email protected]> > > *Subject:* Re: [FRIAM] Morphogenisis > > > > > > First of all, it's just a metaphor (ducking, the shoe barely missing my > head) :-) > > > > Second of all, that description of animal development sure sounds to me > like "following a script". > > > > On Sat, May 8, 2021 at 2:23 PM <[email protected]> wrote: > > This struck me: > > > > When animals develop, they don’t follow a script. Instead, responding to > their environment, the cells negotiate and feel their way toward a final > form. A fertilized egg divides, and divides again, creating a hollow ball > of cells called a blastula; genes instruct these cells to release > chemicals, and other cells, reacting to those chemical concentrations, > decide to migrate elsewhere or to develop into specific types of tissue. > Other influences—oxygen, nutrients, hormones, sometimes toxins—further > shape gestation. > https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/10/persuading-the-body-to-regenerate-its-limbs?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_050821&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bd678d924c17c104801f684&cndid=40835928&hasha=1dc6f15a30be2d4712fae5f0e5a9a679&hashb=5e4befc88214fadc869224d7cb34d55f51451bc7&hashc=0c6ef6b7bc8221288e1f4a4ca0116d78a21ebdbe47949488640c7c54c93120fb&esrc=AUTO_PRINT&utm_term=TNY_Daily > > > > First, note the reliance on psychological terms. This is the sort of > passage that would stimulate my teasing Hywel with, “So you see, Hywel, > psychology really IS the mother of all sciences.” And don’t any of you > DARE to come back at me with, “It’s just a metaphor.” > > > > Second, which of these two models encapsulates more closely what you > wizards mean by computation. Is carrying out an algorithm more like > “computation” or is “building a limb”? Is a salamander’s limb “computed”? > If so, who computes it, or is that a violation of the language of > computation. I know. Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread. > > > > Your loyal fool, > > > > Nic > > Nick Thompson > > [email protected] > > https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/ > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwordpress.clarku.edu%2fnthompson%2f&c=E,1,kvyM80dHEYWNqV-0eMQdLvzgq9gnoqHZgBnwovx7X25DXpFtBFHjG7rHeqhcFUSqxlCOPKZ_ChyYYA8MEuyB_a_FRcYGgZ_JxXKUF1U4Ncx44i5dHnfxik87XZ1D&typo=1> > > > > > > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . > > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2fvirtualfriam&c=E,1,3Sznyb7BegxvJj-W6slkoO2f1XtEbDHhCi3tmPNYOYGO8G4bQHxL3OeYztOXD0Jnkqfg--n0b4oTs0_5hn0ZjLwY1S5d_w88ooKTK69YtiTBeWLt0H7XZAvPaw,,&typo=1> > > un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fredfish.com%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2ffriam_redfish.com&c=E,1,e7ikCvmqxBFRYzTHP3wOgCmQsYRmef0a4GwLJQ2quoUnNgQbOEU2NdEDy_DQg9r4aZne4Sk-Ajx_PT1S_t2ucEEUCxuMaJ722nwe5JgbcETp0SxouOocvw,,&typo=1> > > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2ffriam-comic.blogspot.com%2f&c=E,1,wFK_q-m91VEHsGMYUpaUNfuzpPV5AzYSI5vB9CyFVHgeYqhgOQ1g3KZmGO1JgHxK-aOZ8gOArzf_3L7A6ibm_7MhZTpVoU7l34UrOaxFG4c,&typo=1> > > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > > > > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . > > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2fvirtualfriam&c=E,1,BpieP7DGHzEVjhJ2T5mWSWPo5jQLi3y02W-E82TotyycTTzeu4MP7WEQw79GnP2tsCGUQO2657ltMXzItlEBOUly7OqJSsL0RUsbVYM0Afcl8C2MBg,,&typo=1> > > un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fredfish.com%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2ffriam_redfish.com&c=E,1,1yOlUEyAisbzj0rQqkjyDHz6QGQFS2akCiohpG_JLp4prFS-tjWMMHIY7HHqBkhi_GGnfxAKZ1KQ9wIxExO8UTHhw2hSl5wlY2DAvreTkNE,&typo=1> > > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2ffriam-comic.blogspot.com%2f&c=E,1,lStijOcgylfWwBgtvwI_wpY6ZSdT_slqXLbQa3G7_Hg2MTOY48j9uCsdzPkLbqmNQQn-fcw2YbeYhedtnHo66j7DoML092OMC1_Vq2u9by5rR2bcow,,&typo=1> > > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . > > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2fvirtualfriam&c=E,1,wQKxNPO8PfO744z2ZIPdPF8iqNel2gN5eKEmrRMwvSbEfhP5cT8LIMIOZeA2qE9dzFQBlkgX4_AWC2UixrrZHt-CY8aJ9HECY0l6h0fxoQ,,&typo=1> > > un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fredfish.com%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2ffriam_redfish.com&c=E,1,5HGP2GfoX1_GAsGzBsU2ab-wxNooyPiL_PG7eAI7lQjuowqXpvPWwzLlXV-nPbkvgT5_Z13C1HMfAO9098w0R65xx7NvI-4oLzGH26Yg_yKbe4JDn8zm&typo=1> > > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2ffriam-comic.blogspot.com%2f&c=E,1,Z5AFvZ55PcJIdf4fhzfSdCp6P8E7AyCq_CcR7O17jZiXvzuPHMpv84-33K35mcFg2cgIsjQP759C82CSeVbNuwmOKwaKYRDT08ldr9MYhsUS1ol8alqi&typo=1> > > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > > > > > > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > un/subscribe > https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fredfish.com%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2ffriam_redfish.com&c=E,1,Nz5yZ4_dT59YgqFPv9se8ju_489ZYKSWfVCSOm3_aDgUSRoK28cf1uIl1gITVN4ZFuVb12eWOKPfevDm7kUFlPDMydRMzzP_kerL_myU3lcZtejuQyZ_Iex5Akg,&typo=1 > FRIAM-COMIC > https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2ffriam-comic.blogspot.com%2f&c=E,1,WjFYQBf2goxeqDrZbjyTH8IJeY2g1KCZlmhYqP-zQeh_0EbYFmKHsfEsANmUgMNFm-u7s3ErshUt31bQBHFHPH8_ad4xhXRcvmsrqS2bL7qaRThPddWumVVca1s,&typo=1 > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > > > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ >
- .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/
