John, List
But if we weed out too many terms, we may not be able to talk anymore! Can we not instead "count on mathematicians" to tell us, how we should define and use "possibility" and "relation"?
Best, Helmut
21. August 2021 um 05:30 Uhr
"John F. Sowa" <s...@bestweb.net>
wrote:
"John F. Sowa" <s...@bestweb.net>
wrote:
Gary F, Helmut, List,
I agree with Gary that "there are no perfect choices when it comes to
naming such things" and we should "weed out the choices most likely to
cause confusion."
HR: In mathematical language, the sentence "possibility implies a
relation to what exists" is false. Maybe in ordinary English usage it
is true, I dont know
That uncertainty is a good reason for not adopting it as a technical
term, except in the context of modal logic.
GF: In this context, Peirce acknowledges that in ordinary English
usage, “possibility implies a relation to what exists.” Since
existence involves Secondness, that renders tthe word “possibility”
unfit for rendering the concept named “Firstness.” In order to
consistently use “qualitative possibility” in reference to Firstness,
it is necessary to explicitly set aside the ordinary implication which
connects the word to Secondness. This is what Peirce does in the
bolded words quoted from EP2:479:
More reason for avoiding it, except in the context of modal logic.
This discussion started with slide 25, in which ADT wanted a
"transition" out of mathematics to something that "the rest of us" can
understand. The word 'diagram' is an English word whose common
meaning includes Peirce's mathematical sense. Since Peirce defined a
diagram as a kind of icon, it is the first in the trichotomy of icon,
index, symbol.
By adopting the word 'diagram' for ADT's slide 25, we resolve the
issues without introducing new jargon.
John
I agree with Gary that "there are no perfect choices when it comes to
naming such things" and we should "weed out the choices most likely to
cause confusion."
HR: In mathematical language, the sentence "possibility implies a
relation to what exists" is false. Maybe in ordinary English usage it
is true, I dont know
That uncertainty is a good reason for not adopting it as a technical
term, except in the context of modal logic.
GF: In this context, Peirce acknowledges that in ordinary English
usage, “possibility implies a relation to what exists.” Since
existence involves Secondness, that renders tthe word “possibility”
unfit for rendering the concept named “Firstness.” In order to
consistently use “qualitative possibility” in reference to Firstness,
it is necessary to explicitly set aside the ordinary implication which
connects the word to Secondness. This is what Peirce does in the
bolded words quoted from EP2:479:
More reason for avoiding it, except in the context of modal logic.
This discussion started with slide 25, in which ADT wanted a
"transition" out of mathematics to something that "the rest of us" can
understand. The word 'diagram' is an English word whose common
meaning includes Peirce's mathematical sense. Since Peirce defined a
diagram as a kind of icon, it is the first in the trichotomy of icon,
index, symbol.
By adopting the word 'diagram' for ADT's slide 25, we resolve the
issues without introducing new jargon.
John
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ► 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.
