Krimel said: The idea of a net or a web approaches a constructive analogy but misses the point if only slightly. The problem with the analogy is that it implies an equal connection between all of the nodes. With language especially this misses an important point which is that all of the connections are not equal. There is a very strong connection between "apples" and "red" or in another context between "apples" and "oranges" but a very weak connection between "apples" and "sea urchins".
dmb says: It depends on the context so much that we can't really say in advance where the strong and weak connections. For example, last night I had sea urchins and apples for dinner. In that case, the connection was downright intimate. I mean, one of my problems with analogies like web, net or even chains is that those structures don't generally shift around to accommodate novel connections while language clearly does. Krimel said: Language and thoughts comprises a complex network of association more like a tree or a river system or a highway system, or a nervous system or lungs. It is a universal geometrical structure that is self similar across scale and appears to us in two, three and four dimensions. But then I have mentioned this many many times and will once again suggest that it is critical to a useful understanding of the MoQ. dmb says: Seems like you've taken an analogy too far, as if we were talking about an actual architectural arrangement. A "universal geometric structure" that appears to us in several dimensions? I don't understand why it should be thought of as universal or geometric. And the stuff about dimensions just sounds like made-up nonsense. I realize you're wild about fractals but I still don't see what you mean. I think the main idea, regardless of which analogy we might like best, is simply that language works as a total system. All by itself, each individual word is meaningless and only gains its meaning in relation to and in the context of other words. I like the net of jewels analogy for the way each "node" has many facets and reflects all the surrounding jewels in that net. In some sense, the whole language is in each word, by being an example of what it is NOT, if nothing else. I think the various parts of trees, rivers and nervous systems are too discrete to capture this important feature of the idea. But that's an aesthetic choice that depends on the context too, I suppose. _________________________________________________________________ Instantly invite friends from Facebook and other social networks to join you on Windows Live™ Messenger. https://www.invite2messenger.net/im/?source=TXT_EML_WLH_InviteFriends Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
