[PEIRCE-L] Three universes (was Concluding section 7

[John F Sowa]

Edwina, Helmut, List,

Since the issue about Peirce's three universes was mentioned in your notes, I'm 
including an excerpt that I had intended to include in the article I just 
finished.  (See below)

Although it's relevant to the content of that article, it raises too many 
questions that would require more explanation.  After the excerpt below, I 
include two links to other articles in which I discussed some related topics.

John

___

Text omitted from the article on phaneroscopy:

Plato and Aristotle disagreed about the role of mathematics. Plato claimed that 
mathematical forms (such as Peirce’s diagrams) are prior to any physical 
embodiment, but Aristotle claimed that mathematical entities are not separable 
from sensible things. Peirce’s three universes of discourse resolve this 
conflict: the possible, the actual, and the necessitated.

The universe of possibilities is the domain of pure mathematics. Every 
mathematical theory begins with some hypothesis expressed in a diagram or its 
algebraic linearization. The special sciences study the universe of actuality. 
The hypotheses (diagrams) of mathematics are applied to aspects of actuality in 
order to make predictions. The hypotheses that make reliable predictions are 
the laws of science. They are the best known approximations to the laws of 
nature. The totality of laws of nature is the universe of the necessitated.

Although Aristotle did not discuss signs in his metaphysics, his earlier 
writings (the Organon) covered logic and semiotic in his analysis of sêmeion, 
symbolon, and logos. For Peirce, mathematical phaneroscopy leads to the three 
categories (trichotomy) of Firstness, Secondness, and Thirdness, which classify 
all the signs of perception, language, and the sciences. The dotted lines of 
Figure 1 show the flow of diagrams and theorems from mathematics to the other 
sciences:

- Possibility.  Every mathematical theory develops the implications of some 
possible pattern (diagram). There is no reason to exclude any possibility or to 
deprecate it as a fantasy.  Some fantasies may be adopted as plans for 
engineering projects.  They then become aspects of actuality.
- Actuality.  The special sciences observe patterns in the actual universe, 
find and apply mathematical theories about those patterns, use those theories 
to make predictions about what may happen, make new observations to test those 
predictions, revise the theories, and repeat.
- Necessity.  The propositions entailed by any pattern by any diagrammatic 
reasoning are necessarily true of any occurrence of that pattern.  All theories 
of science are fallible, but the best are reliable on those domains for which 
they have been thoroughly tested.
All mathematical theories must be available for applications to the special 
sciences. All semiotic patterns are necessary for representing natural and 
artificial languages.  In fact, every artificial language in mathematics and 
computer science is a disciplined application of the syntactic and semantic 
mechanisms of natural languages. Value judgments are necessary for reasoning 
about the beliefs, desires, and intentions in any social activity or 
organization — and the organizations must include colonies of any species from 
bacteria to humans or even aliens from other galaxies.

If the diagramming conventions are precisely defined, these rules are sound:  
observation and imagination would add duplicate information in some area; and 
erasure would delete duplicates. For scenes in nature, photographs, and 
informal drawings, these rules may be useful, but fallible approximations. For 
more discussion and examples, see “Peirce, Polya, and Euclid: Integrating 
logic, heuristics, and geometry” (Sowa 2015) and “Reasoning with diagrams and 
images” (Sowa 2018).

I presented the talk on "Peirce, Polya, and Euclid" at an APA session on 
Peirce.  I later presented an extension to the slides at a workshop hosted by 
Zalamea in Columbia in December 2015.  See htttps://jfsowa.com/talks/ppe.pdf

The article on "Reasoning with diagrams and images" is an extended version of 
the material in ppe.pdf.  See the link in slide 2 of ppe.pdf.  It's helpful to 
read the slides before going to the longer article.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at 
https://cspeirce.com  and, just as well, at 
https://www.cspeirce.com .  It'll take a while to repair / update all the links!
► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON 
PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . 
► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu 
with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of the message and nothing in the 
body.  More at https://list.iupui.edu/sympa/help/user-signoff.html .
► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP;  moderated by Gary Richmond;  and 
co-managed by him and Ben Udell.

Re: [PEIRCE-L] Concluding section 7 of the article on phaneroscopy

[Edwina Taborsky]

Sorry- I meant Peirce’s rejection of idealism.  Not simply Popper’s!  [ Peirce 
was an Objective Idealist - completely different from the detached-from-reality 
determinism and finality of pure idealism. ] 

Edwina

> On Jan 29, 2024, at 10:27 AM, Edwina Taborsky  wrote:
> 
> Helmut, list
> 
> Yes, Popper’s rejection of idealism - as in Plato’s ‘ideal primal state of 
> Forms’ and Hegel’s ideal final state is expressed in numerous places - and 
> clearly in that quote from 6.348.  And - his rejection of Marxist determinism 
> and necessity - in favour of the realities of chance [ Firstness] and the 
> creativity of Thirdness, or the self-generation of new habits.
> 
> Yes, Popper was well aware of Peirce. In his book Objective Knowledge,[Oxford 
> UP, 1972]  Popper references Peirce quite frequently, and called him “one of 
> the greatest philosophers of all time] [212]. And says that his own 
> “indeterminist view of the world” [296] .. is similar to that of Charles 
> Sanders Peirce [ ibid]. 
> 
> In fact, Popper’s Three World Theory. [outlined in Objective Knowledge]  has 
> strong relations to Peirces’ Three Modes.  His World 1 is the basic physical 
> world; his World 2 is the world of individual subjective experience; his 
> world 3 is the world of common objective thought.   I consider that Peirce’s 
> modes are superior to this outline - but-…obviously- the similarities are 
> there.
> 
> Edwina
> 
>> On Jan 29, 2024, at 10:03 AM, Helmut Raulien  wrote:
>> 
>>  
>> Edwina, John, List,
>>  
>> I have read the two books by Karl Popper: "The open society and its enemies" 
>> (Thank you for recommending me!), and, as far as I am competent, completely 
>> agree with Popper. He is against "historicism", and both refutes Platon 
>> (ideal primal state), and Hegel (ideal final state). About Marx, he approves 
>> his analysis of the situation at Marx´ time, but refutes his prophecies, and 
>> therefore his claim, that there "scienttific"ly is a necessity in history. 
>> History is just stories. I wonder, whether Popper knew Peirce, because I see 
>> some parallelity.
>>  
>> Best, Helmut
>>  
>> Gesendet: Sonntag, 28. Januar 2024 um 21:33 Uhr
>> Von: "Edwina Taborsky" 
>> An: s...@bestweb.net
>> Cc: "Peirce List" , "CG" 
>> 
>> Betreff: Re: [PEIRCE-L] Concluding section 7 of the article on phaneroscopy
>> John, list
>>  
>> Thanks for the chapter.  I particularly liked your inclusion off the 
>> Peircean quote;
>>  
>> Get rid, thoughtful Reader, of the Okhamistic prejudice of political 
>> partisanship that in thought, in being, and in development the indefinite is 
>> due to a degeneration from a primal state of perfect definiteness. The truth 
>> is rather on the side of the Scholastic realists that the unsettled is the 
>> primal state, and that definiteness and determinateness, the two poles of 
>> settledness, are, in the large, approximations, developmentally, 
>> epistemologically, and metaphysically. (CP 6.348)
>> 
>> 
>> This clarifies that neither the primal state nor the ‘final state’ [ of 
>> there be such a state] is ‘perfect definiteness’.  Instead, both are 
>> unsettled’. How could it be otherwise? Without such indefiniteness, no 
>> adaptation or evolution could occur, and the laws of physics would lead to 
>> inevitable dissipation of energy/matter. To prevent this- and thus enable 
>> ever more complex forms, ‘indefiniteness’  on both sides, is the answer.
>>  
>> Edwina.
>> 
>>  
>> On Jan 27, 2024, at 11:27 PM, John F Sowa  wrote:
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> I finally finished the article on phaneroscopy and sent it off to the 
>> publisher.  The final Section 7 is attached.  It shows that Peirce's 
>> writings in the last decade of his life are at the forefront of ongoing 
>> research in the cognitive sciences (philosophy, psychology, linguistics, 
>> artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and anthropology).
>>  
>> At the end, I include links to a few other articles that go into more detail 
>> about current issues and the importance of Peirce's insights.
>>  
>> John 
>> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
>> ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at
>> https://cspeirce.com   and, just as well, at
>> https://www.cspeirce.com  .  It'll take a while 
>> to repair / update all the links!
>> ► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON 
>> PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to 
>> peirce-L@list.iupui.edu .
>> ► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu 
>> with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of the message and nothing in 
>> the body.  More at https://list.iupui.edu/sympa/help/user-signoff.html .
>> ► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP;  moderated by Gary Richmond;  and 
>> co-managed by him and Ben Udell.
>> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at 
>> https://cspeirce.com  and, just as well, at 
>> https://www.cspeirce.com 

Re: [PEIRCE-L] Concluding section 7 of the article on phaneroscopy

[Edwina Taborsky]

Helmut, list

Yes, Popper’s rejection of idealism - as in Plato’s ‘ideal primal state of 
Forms’ and Hegel’s ideal final state is expressed in numerous places - and 
clearly in that quote from 6.348.  And - his rejection of Marxist determinism 
and necessity - in favour of the realities of chance [ Firstness] and the 
creativity of Thirdness, or the self-generation of new habits.

Yes, Popper was well aware of Peirce. In his book Objective Knowledge,[Oxford 
UP, 1972]  Popper references Peirce quite frequently, and called him “one of 
the greatest philosophers of all time] [212]. And says that his own 
“indeterminist view of the world” [296] .. is similar to that of Charles 
Sanders Peirce [ ibid]. 

In fact, Popper’s Three World Theory. [outlined in Objective Knowledge]  has 
strong relations to Peirces’ Three Modes.  His World 1 is the basic physical 
world; his World 2 is the world of individual subjective experience; his world 
3 is the world of common objective thought.   I consider that Peirce’s modes 
are superior to this outline - but-…obviously- the similarities are there.

Edwina

> On Jan 29, 2024, at 10:03 AM, Helmut Raulien  wrote:
> 
>  
> Edwina, John, List,
>  
> I have read the two books by Karl Popper: "The open society and its enemies" 
> (Thank you for recommending me!), and, as far as I am competent, completely 
> agree with Popper. He is against "historicism", and both refutes Platon 
> (ideal primal state), and Hegel (ideal final state). About Marx, he approves 
> his analysis of the situation at Marx´ time, but refutes his prophecies, and 
> therefore his claim, that there "scienttific"ly is a necessity in history. 
> History is just stories. I wonder, whether Popper knew Peirce, because I see 
> some parallelity.
>  
> Best, Helmut
>  
> Gesendet: Sonntag, 28. Januar 2024 um 21:33 Uhr
> Von: "Edwina Taborsky" 
> An: s...@bestweb.net
> Cc: "Peirce List" , "CG" 
> 
> Betreff: Re: [PEIRCE-L] Concluding section 7 of the article on phaneroscopy
> John, list
>  
> Thanks for the chapter.  I particularly liked your inclusion off the Peircean 
> quote;
>  
> Get rid, thoughtful Reader, of the Okhamistic prejudice of political 
> partisanship that in thought, in being, and in development the indefinite is 
> due to a degeneration from a primal state of perfect definiteness. The truth 
> is rather on the side of the Scholastic realists that the unsettled is the 
> primal state, and that definiteness and determinateness, the two poles of 
> settledness, are, in the large, approximations, developmentally, 
> epistemologically, and metaphysically. (CP 6.348)
> 
> 
> This clarifies that neither the primal state nor the ‘final state’ [ of there 
> be such a state] is ‘perfect definiteness’.  Instead, both are unsettled’. 
> How could it be otherwise? Without such indefiniteness, no adaptation or 
> evolution could occur, and the laws of physics would lead to inevitable 
> dissipation of energy/matter. To prevent this- and thus enable ever more 
> complex forms, ‘indefiniteness’  on both sides, is the answer.
>  
> Edwina.
> 
>  
> On Jan 27, 2024, at 11:27 PM, John F Sowa  wrote:
>  
>  
>  
> I finally finished the article on phaneroscopy and sent it off to the 
> publisher.  The final Section 7 is attached.  It shows that Peirce's writings 
> in the last decade of his life are at the forefront of ongoing research in 
> the cognitive sciences (philosophy, psychology, linguistics, artificial 
> intelligence, neuroscience, and anthropology).
>  
> At the end, I include links to a few other articles that go into more detail 
> about current issues and the importance of Peirce's insights.
>  
> John 
> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
> ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at
> https://cspeirce.com   and, just as well, at
> https://www.cspeirce.com  .  It'll take a while to 
> repair / update all the links!
> ► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON 
> PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to peirce-L@list.iupui.edu 
> .
> ► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu 
> with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of the message and nothing in 
> the body.  More at https://list.iupui.edu/sympa/help/user-signoff.html .
> ► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP;  moderated by Gary Richmond;  and 
> co-managed by him and Ben Udell.
> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at https://cspeirce.com 
>  and, just as well, at https://www.cspeirce.com 
>  . It'll take a while to repair / update all the 
> links! ► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY 
> ON PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to 
> peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . ► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L 
> but to l...@list.iupui.edu with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of 
> the message and nothing in the body. 

Aw: [PEIRCE-L] Concluding section 7 of the article on phaneroscopy

[Helmut Raulien]

 


Edwina, John, List,

 

I have read the two books by Karl Popper: "The open society and its enemies" (Thank you for recommending me!), and, as far as I am competent, completely agree with Popper. He is against "historicism", and both refutes Platon (ideal primal state), and Hegel (ideal final state). About Marx, he approves his analysis of the situation at Marx´ time, but refutes his prophecies, and therefore his claim, that there "scienttific"ly is a necessity in history. History is just stories. I wonder, whether Popper knew Peirce, because I see some parallelity.

 

Best, Helmut

 

Gesendet: Sonntag, 28. Januar 2024 um 21:33 Uhr
Von: "Edwina Taborsky" 
An: s...@bestweb.net
Cc: "Peirce List" , "CG" 
Betreff: Re: [PEIRCE-L] Concluding section 7 of the article on phaneroscopy


John, list

 

Thanks for the chapter.  I particularly liked your inclusion off the Peircean quote;

 





Get rid, thoughtful Reader, of the Okhamistic prejudice of political partisanship that in thought, in being, and in development the indefinite is due to a degeneration from a primal state of perfect definiteness. The truth is rather on the side of the Scholastic realists that the unsettled is the primal state, and that definiteness and determinateness, the two poles of settledness, are, in the large, approximations, developmentally, epistemologically, and metaphysically. (CP 6.348)





This clarifies that neither the primal state nor the ‘final state’ [ of there be such a state] is ‘perfect definiteness’.  Instead, both are unsettled’. How could it be otherwise? Without such indefiniteness, no adaptation or evolution could occur, and the laws of physics would lead to inevitable dissipation of energy/matter. To prevent this- and thus enable ever more complex forms, ‘indefiniteness’  on both sides, is the answer.

 

Edwina.

 

On Jan 27, 2024, at 11:27 PM, John F Sowa  wrote:


 
 

 


I finally finished the article on phaneroscopy and sent it off to the publisher.  The final Section 7 is attached.  It shows that Peirce's writings in the last decade of his life are at the forefront of ongoing research in the cognitive sciences (philosophy, psychology, linguistics, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and anthropology).

 

At the end, I include links to a few other articles that go into more detail about current issues and the importance of Peirce's insights.

 

John 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at
https://cspeirce.com  and, just as well, at
https://www.cspeirce.com .  It'll take a while to repair / update all the links!
► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to peirce-L@list.iupui.edu .
► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of the message and nothing in the body.  More at https://list.iupui.edu/sympa/help/user-signoff.html .
► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP;  moderated by Gary Richmond;  and co-managed by him and Ben Udell.



_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at https://cspeirce.com and, just as well, at https://www.cspeirce.com . It'll take a while to repair / update all the links! ► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . ► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of the message and nothing in the body. More at https://list.iupui.edu/sympa/help/user-signoff.html . ► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP; moderated by Gary Richmond; and co-managed by him and Ben Udell.




_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ARISBE: THE PEIRCE GATEWAY is now at 
https://cspeirce.com  and, just as well, at 
https://www.cspeirce.com .  It'll take a while to repair / update all the links!
► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON 
PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . 
► To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message NOT to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu 
with UNSUBSCRIBE PEIRCE-L in the SUBJECT LINE of the message and nothing in the 
body.  More at https://list.iupui.edu/sympa/help/user-signoff.html .
► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP;  moderated by Gary Richmond;  and 
co-managed by him and Ben Udell.