SUO: Re: Abstraction, Analogy, Example, Icon, Metaphor, Model, Morphism, Paradigm, Prototype, Simulation

[Jon Awbrey <jawbrey@oakland.edu>]

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I keep coming back to the following two pictures or configurations:

1.  There is that A-frame construction in Aristotle's discussion
    of reasoning by way of Analogy, Example, or Paradigm, which
    he articulates as a combination of Induction and Deduction.

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                           Atrocious Adversity
                                    A
                                    •
                                   /*\
                                  / * \
                                 /  *  \
                                /   *   \
                               /    *    \
                              /     *     \
                             /   R u l e   \
                            /       *       \
                           /        *        \
                          /     Bellicose     \
                         /       Battles       \
                     F a c t        B        F a c t
                       /         Between         \
                      /        Bordermates        \
                     /        *           *        \
                    /       *               *       \
                   /   C a s e             C a s e   \
                  /     *                       *     \
                 /    *                           *    \
                /   *                               *   \
               /  *                                   *  \
              / *                                       * \
             •                                             •
            C                                               D
         Contest:                                        Debacle:
   Athens versus Thebes                            Thebes versus Phocis

Figure 1.  Aristotle's "War Against Neighbors" Example

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Legend 1.

A = Atrocious, Adverse to All, A bad thing.
B = Belligerent Battle Between Brethren.
C = Contest of Athens against Thebes.
D = Debacle of Thebes against Phocis.

A is a major term,
B is a middle term,
C is a minor term,
D is a minor term, similar to C.

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Note on Terminology:  I am using the terms "Case", "Fact", "Rule"
in the medieval fashion that was added to the classical treatment
of syllogism at a somewhat later time, but predating our present
usage by several hundered years, at least.  In this schematization,
one has the following forms of reasoning:

Abduction:  Fact + Rule ---> Case,
Deduction:  Case + Rule ---> Fact,
Induction:  Case + Fact ---> Rule.

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The cardinal- or hinge-point to note about Aristotle's example
of reasoning by example is that the middle term B serves as an
explanation of 'why' the major term A should be considered as
applicable to the contemplated instances of conflict, C and D,
instance C a future contingent whose advisability of rendering
actual was presently, at that time in Athens, being disputed,
instance D already a part of the discussants' previous history,
from which they might reasonably be expected to have learned.

2.  The other picture is John Sowa's World-Model-Theory Triptych:

<http://www.bestweb.net/~sowa/ontology/mthworld.gif>

Well, it took me so much time to find the loose ends of this thread
that I have plumb forgot what I was going to say, but I remember
that I saw some kind of analogy between these two pictures --
(Between Analogy Analogy Triptych)? -- and so I am sure that
if I take a little break it will all come back to me, soon.

Cheers,

Jon Awbrey

An assortment of beads on this thread:

<http://ltsc.ieee.org/logs/suo/msg00657.html>
<http://ltsc.ieee.org/logs/suo/msg00671.html>
<http://ltsc.ieee.org/logs/suo/msg00676.html>
<http://ltsc.ieee.org/logs/suo/msg01251.html>
<http://ltsc.ieee.org/logs/suo/msg01293.html>
<http://ltsc.ieee.org/logs/suo/msg01350.html>

<http://www.bestweb.net/~sowa/ontology/>
<http://www.bestweb.net/~sowa/ontology/gloss.htm>
<http://www.bestweb.net/~sowa/ontology/causal.htm>
<http://www.bestweb.net/~sowa/ontology/mthworld.gif>

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