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SUO: Re: Perspectives on Situations, Processes, Etc.




Philip Jackson wrote:
> 
> Jon,
> 
> OK --
> the more things change, they more they stay the same --
> nothing ventured, nothing gained ...
> time will tell ...
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Phil
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:  Jon Awbrey [mailto:jawbrey@oakland.edu]
> > Sent:  Sunday, March 18, 2001 12:00 PM
> >   To:  Philip Jackson
> >   Cc:  standard-upper-ontology@ieee.org
> > Subj:  Re: Perspectives on Situations, Processes, Etc.
> >
> > Philip Jackson wrote:
> > >
> > > Jon Awbrey wrote:
> > >
> > > > Yes, of course, but to "accommodate situation semantics,
> > > > linguistics, and many other related topics" is not the
> > > > same thing as expecting to derive a workable theory of
> > > > kinetics, dynamics, or process from the inflections of
> > > > tense in ordinary natural languages.
> > >
> > > I did not intend to suggest anything so grand.  I do however
> > > think there may be a germ of truth, and potential usefulness
> > > for constructing an upper ontology, in the fact that natural
> > > languages provide ways of expressing "aspects" (not "tense")
> > > of the same "situation" as either a "single shapeless whole,
> > > similar to the concept of a 'point' in geometry", or somewith
> > > with a "temporal shape".
> > >
> > > It seems to me this could have some relevance to the discussion
> > > about what is a "continuant" and what is an "occurrent" -- the
> > > answer suggested by linguistics might be that these are both
> > > just aspects, or perspectives, and that we should not try to
> > > insist that things must be either continuants or occurrents,
> > > but allow that they can be both, depending on one's point
> > > of view.
> > >
> > > However, I do not claim that this is the case --
> > > Rather, I welcome feedback, comments and multiple
> > > points of view.  I'm still trying to develop
> > > my own point of view on these matters ...
> > >
> > > Phil Jackson
> > > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > "Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge
> > >  is limited.  Imagination encircles the world." - Einstein
> > > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > Standard Disclaimers. www.philjackson.prohosting.com
> >
> > ¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤
> >
> > Phil,
> >
> > Sounds reasonable.  I will leave my reactions
> > as "one reporter's experience" (ORE) -- it is
> > your duty and your freedom to accumulate your
> > own, of course.  I am just as fascinated with
> > the little nuggets of wisdom that one can pan
> > out of metaphorical, natural, poetic, or even
> > ordinary language as anyone has a right to be,
> > I think, and I do what I can to push the edge
> > of the envelope of potential sense if it come
> > to that, as you know, but still, when we get
> > to stuff like process, that most fleeting of
> > all categories, all the more same-staying in
> > spite of that, when even time is nothing but
> > illusions of allusions to standard processes
> > that all the world finds it convenient, they
> > think, to call o'clock, well, then I believe
> > that a new way o'clocking tolled the hour of
> > those old ways o'clocking, starting with the
> > time of Leibniz, Newton, & then one Einstein.
> >
> > Best Wishes,
> >
> > Jon Awbrey
> >
> > ¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤
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Phil,

Just so.

That, by the by,
Is right on why
I say we desire
Theorem provers
Far, far better
Than the brands
Yet seen so far,
Because we fail
So often to see
The consequence
Of this tri-via,
That triviality,
And the effects
Of fixed belief.

Burma Shave ...

Jon Awbrey

And don't forget to try Ockham's New Patented Razor!
Accept no cheap imitations!  It's economical enough!

| Frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora.
|
| William of Ockham, 'Summa Totius Logicae", 1.12.

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