Mark, I expected that it would be understood to be a response to our posted exchange. You, if I remember correctly brought up the subject of "many paths." (Btw, in Ant's PhD, he(Anthony) mentions that RMP claims that Quality and Emptiness are synonyms.) I really didn't see that there was a more appropriate response to be made. And yes, it was meant "all in good fun."
Marsha On Oct 6, 2010, at 11:30 AM, 118 wrote: > Hi Marsha, > What did you expect? We have some pretty rigorous definitionists patrolling > the posts. For what it's worth, I liked it. All in good fun. > Mark > > On Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 11:22 PM, MarshaV <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Mark, >> >> I thought it just a sweet haiku indicating that each individual has >> their own path. Sorry it became something else. >> >> >> Marsha >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Oct 6, 2010, at 1:25 AM, 118 wrote: >> >>> Yea, I agree DMB, relativity is a pretty useless concept. Now >>> relationalism, that is a whole 'nother story. And I'm not talking about >> the >>> opposite of absolutism, I'm talkin' Quality. >>> >>> I don't have any relatives that are dwarfs, so I can't comment on >> Marsha's >>> giant. >>> >>> Mark >>> >>> On Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 1:11 PM, david buchanan <[email protected] >>> wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Marsha said: >>>> RELATIVITY: >>>> the tallest dwarf >>>> meeting the smallest giant >>>> - same size >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> dmb says: >>>> >>>> No, that's not what relativity means. Relativity means there is no >> standard >>>> by which to measure things like truth and moral values. >>>> >>>> What you have above is merely three sets of relations. >>>> >>>> The dwarf is tallest in relation to other dwarves. >>>> The giant is the smallest when compared to other giants. >>>> In relation to each other, the dwarf and the giant are the same size. >>>> >>>> As a practical matter, these relations do not depend on one's >> perspective >>>> or worldview. It just depends on whether or not you can get all the >> dwarfs >>>> and giants to stand next to a measuring tape. That's how you know you've >> got >>>> the tallest dwarf in the first place. That's how you know all other >> giants >>>> are bigger. These are quantifiable facts and all three sets of relations >> are >>>> true at the same time without contradiction. The term "relative" can be >> used >>>> to mean "in relation to" or "by comparison with" but that doesn't have >>>> anything to do with the objectionable philosophical stance known as >>>> relativism. If we say the dwarf is relatively tall, we don't mean his >> height >>>> cannot be determined or that his height depends on one's understanding >> of >>>> the term "tall". >>>> >>>> >>>> Words and concepts are relational in a similar way. As I like to point >> out, >>>> the meaning of the terms "static" and "dynamic" is relational in the >> sense >>>> that "static" means the opposite of dynamic and "Dynamic" means the >> opposite >>>> of static. The meaning of each term is depends on not being the other, >> the >>>> same way hot and cold or short and tall define each other by opposition. >>>> Words also derive their meaning by virtue of their relation to context >> in >>>> which the term is being used. "Tall" can mean "highly exaggerated" when >>>> we're talking about tales, it can refer to the shape of a cocktail glass >>>> when talking to a bartender, it can mean "difficult" when we're talking >>>> about tall orders and tall obstacles. It can refer to a proud posture or >>>> walking style as well as actual height. Many words are very flexible and >>>> have many different meanings depending on the context but again this is >> to >>>> say that meaning is relational, not relative to the user. Words mean >> what >>>> they mean in relation to oth >>>> er words and in relation to the context in which it's being used. In >> other >>>> words, we can't isolate the meaning of a term because it derives it's >>>> meaning from the whole language system. This is the net of jewels idea >>>> applied to words. Similarly, some philosophers talk about our "web" of >>>> beliefs. This image get across the idea that some concepts are more >> central >>>> than others, which is probably true. >>>> >>>> >>>> Compared to the top of Mount Everest and the tallest short guy, the >> Empire >>>> State Building is shorter and taller at the same time. These are not >>>> relative truths or opposed claims or two different views. It's merely >> two >>>> different comparisons, two different facts. The building is never going >> to >>>> be taller than the mountain and it'll never be shorter than any person, >> not >>>> even the tallest giant. I don't mean to be some kind of yard-stick >>>> fundamentalist. I'm just saying that relations are just as real as >> anything >>>> else and it's a part of what it means for something to be true and >> right. >>>> This could be called relationalism or relationism or wholism or >>>> contextualism or situationalism. But relativity or relativism is >> something >>>> else entirely. It's the philosophical equivalent of combining halitosis >> with >>>> leprosy. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> 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/md/archives.html >>>> >>> 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/md/archives.html >> >> >> >> ___ >> >> >> 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/md/archives.html >> > 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/md/archives.html ___ 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/md/archives.html
