Kobus, Edwina, lists, Kobus Marais asked: "Can you assist me with the meaning of ‘obsistence’ as used by Peirce in CP 2.89?"
I agree with Edwina that Obsistence appears to be yet another term for Secondness I don't recall, however, that Obsistence (the 'ob-' suggesting, as he writes, "obviate, object, obstinate," etc, 2ns.), Orience (== "Originality," 1ns), or Transuasion (suggesting, as he writes, "translation, transaction," etc., 3ns) appear in any other writings than "Minute Logic" (1902). As is well known, Peirce was constantly exploring new terminology, creating neologisms as experiments in making more precise (or clarifying, but sometimes developing or expanding) certain core ideas in his phenomenology, logic as semeiotic, metaphysics, etc. While in ways this experimentation can be problematic (several, or even many terms considered for the same or a very similar conception), yet in my view each fresh experiment adds to the suggestiveness (or connotation) of those conceptions and their appositeness in related contexts. For example, in this first chapter of "Minute Logic" Peirce uses the terms discussed just above in describing the three branches of logic as semeiotic. He writes: Logic is the science of the general necessary laws of Signs and especially of Symbols. As such, it has three departments. Obsistent logic, logic in the narrow sense, or Critical Logic, is the theory of the general conditions of the reference of Symbols and other Signs to their professed Objects, that is, it is the theory of the conditions of truth. Originalian logic, or Speculative Grammar, is the doctrine of the general conditions of symbols and other signs having the significant character. It is this department of general logic with which we are, at this moment, occupying ourselves. Transuasional logic, which I term Speculative Rhetoric, is substantially what goes by the name of methodology, or better, of methodeutic. It is the doctrine of the general conditions of the reference of Symbols and other Signs to the Interpretants which they aim to determine. . . . (CP 2.93). Here one sees in this one science within Science of Discovery (or, Heuretic Science) what in his Classification of Sciences (what Beverly Kent has called his "perennial classification") an example of how Peirce comes to classify* all* of science (with certain dyadic exceptions), namely by his three universal categories of 1ns, 2ns, and 3ns. One might then additionally ask: Where else in Peirce's science does reflection on or-, ob-, and trans- help clarify his meaning when the three categories are in play together? Best, Gary Richmond [image: Gary Richmond] *Gary Richmond* *Philosophy and Critical Thinking* *Communication Studies* *LaGuardia College of the City University of New York* *C 745* *718 482-5690* On Tue, Jul 11, 2017 at 7:39 AM, Edwina Taborsky <[email protected]> wrote: > > Kobus, list - I think that Obsistence, or Secondness, is clearly outlined > in 1.91. It's a state-of-being which is due to the existential fact of TWO > 'things' or existences in direct unmediated interaction with each other. As > he says: it "is a fact concerning a set of objects, the Relates'. And this > interaction or relation between the two can be either genuine or degenerate. > > The relation between the two that is degenerate includes the quality of > Firstness or 'Originality'. This means that "each of the Relates' [those > two objects] has this same quality. So, relate or object A might have more > of the particular than relate or object B and this affects the interaction. > > Genuine 'Obsistence or Secondness' means that they don't share qualities. > "Each relate is necessarily individual or self-identical' This means that > they share no commonality that somehow enters into consideration into the > interaction. So- the falling tree slamming into the roof of the house. [The > fact that both are wood has nothing to do with that brute interaction - so, > one must be careful not to introduce speciousness into the analysis - a > common sociological fault]. > > Edwina > > > On Tue 11/07/17 3:41 AM , Kobus Marais [email protected] sent: > > Dear Colleagues > > Can you assist me with the meaning of ‘obsistence’ as used by Peirce in CP > 2.89? > > > > Thanks. > > K > > > > [image: Blocked image] > > Kobus Marais > > Associate Professor: Linguistics and Language Practice > Medeprofessor: Linguistiek en Taalpraktyk > Faculty / Fakulteit: The Humanities / Geesteswetenskappe > PO Box / Posbus 339, Bloemfontein 9300, Republic of South Africa / > Republiek van Suid-Afrika > [image: Blocked image]051 4012798 > [image: Blocked image][email protected] > [image: Blocked image] > <http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/University-of-the-Free-State/175257709184139> > [image: > Blocked image] <http://twitter.com/#!/UFSweb>[image: Blocked image] > <http://www.youtube.com/UFSWeb> > > [image: Blocked image] > > [image: Blocked image] > > > > > ------------------------------ > > University of the Free State: > This message and its contents are subject to a disclaimer. > Please refer to http://www.ufs.ac.za/disclaimer for full details. > > Universiteit van die Vrystaat: > Hierdie boodskap en sy inhoud is aan 'n vrywaringsklousule onderhewig. > Volledige besonderhede is by http://www.ufs.ac.za/disclaimer vrywaring > beskikbaar. > ------------------------------ > > >
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