On 9 Feb 2010 at 10:11, Steven Peterson wrote: > Hi Platt, > > On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 9:54 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On 9 Feb 2010 at 9:16, Steven Peterson wrote: > > > Hammers and screw drivers are useful tools. Note that we never ask about > > > them, does this hammer correctly correspond to The-Way-Things-Really-Are? > > By > > > the same token, it is not required that we ask such questions about the > > tool > > > called mathematics. > > > > Platt: > > > The reason we don't question is because such tools are obviously > > attuned to the world as it really is. By the same token, we don't question > > whether swallowing cyanide is injurious to one's health. > > > > Steve: > Are you suggesting that mathematics is not obviously attuned to the world? > I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by the phrase "attuned to the > world."
Hi Steve, No. Mathematics is just as attuned to the world as hammers, screw drivers and other useful tools. "Attuned to the world" means "harmonious with reality." Steve: > In your swallowing cyanide example, are you saying that cyanide is attuned > to the world as it really is or rather that it is part of the world? Are not > hammers and mathematics part of the world? Absolutely. > You seem to be presupposing that the purpose of a hammer is to help us cope > with the world and is attuned to that purpose. I am proposing that > mathematics be thought of in the same way rather than as a representation of > reality. I would propose that mathematics is simultaneously representative and attuned to help us with the world as well as being part of the world. . Similarly, spoken language is simultaneously objective puffs of wind and subjective meaning. Sorry I didn't make myself clear before. Hope this helps. Regards, Platt 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/
