tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post389338810077860298..comments2024-03-28T11:36:22.391-04:00Comments on Half an Hour: When Words Lose MeaningStephen Downeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06140591903467372209noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-84576555782985949112011-02-07T17:59:07.133-05:002011-02-07T17:59:07.133-05:00Stephen,
Fascinating stuff, as always. A few quib...Stephen,<br /><br />Fascinating stuff, as always. A few quibbles, as is my wont.<br /><br />I'd argue that the primary purpose of language is communication, rather than evaluation. That changes the relationship a bit, from "this is the representative world in words/numbers/etc." to "this is my *description* of my experience, thoughts, ideas on the world."<br /><br />It's true that language (in the general sense) allows for more detailed evaluation, but this happens as a result of greater classification, detail, etc. Obviously other systems, like mathematics are designed to do this with more precision.<br /><br />I think "fiction" is the wrong word. Certainly, perspective comes into play. For example, I might argue that your comment on Fox News suffers from the some of same conditions that you ascribe to Fox News itself. :) <br /><br />The question is, "How closely does the prespective match the reality?" and, as the history you've ably described reveals, our evaluative systems work in the context of that relationship.<br /><br />I think then that maybe "description" is a better word. "Fiction" only applies if we really treat the word as the thing. I'm not sure anyone really does that, though. We certainly describe ideas, and some of those are fictions, but some are real, even if they don't form the more palpable part of the world that our other senses can get at.<br /><br />I think semiotics works as a tool, though not as an ontology, as you say. Language and mathematics, and networks, etc. are all tools as well that we use to try to bridge the gap between objective reality and our experience of it. I'm optimistic enough to think that those tools allow us to get at a fair amount of truth, but they are certainly abused a great deal, as well.<br /><br />Just some thoughts (or clumsy descriptions of them, at least).<br /><br />Cheers.<br /><br />Clint BrooksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-65389043684495068182011-01-31T18:44:34.723-05:002011-01-31T18:44:34.723-05:00I wonder what has happened to representation of re...I wonder what has happened to representation of reality and as fiction now that multimodal and visual texts are so prominant / dominant in our technolgies and communication base. Descartes developed what was an easily transfereable mathematical semiotic system - given the technolgies of the time - however now with rapid exchange digitalised photo realism, highly representational imagery combining sound and action, digitalised realities are possibly influencing how we define 'reality' and our realtionship with the world and its ancient yet trusted language systems in an entirely new way. We can now supply on demand a moving & firebreathing, green dragon and probably a few brakeless trains too.Jacquinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-44691158914585814442011-01-26T23:12:40.224-05:002011-01-26T23:12:40.224-05:00Very interesting post, we should be able to differ...Very interesting post, we should be able to differentiate between fiction and reality.Stevehttp://www.mobolinks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-70970580453117371702011-01-26T14:05:28.497-05:002011-01-26T14:05:28.497-05:00Yes, absolutely. These fictions are enormously use...Yes, absolutely. These fictions are enormously useful. We should use them. We get into trouble only when we confuse them for reality.Stephen Downeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06140591903467372209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-31185003300525312762011-01-26T13:18:41.831-05:002011-01-26T13:18:41.831-05:00I don't disagree with you at all, but I have s...I don't disagree with you at all, but I have some questions. It's possible I'm not entirely understanding.<br /><br />While I think it's very important to understand these fictions, I don't think it's harmful to utilize them in positive ways. We cannot look at the "big picture" with our own reality, own physicality and own experience. There is stuff out there that can only be communicated through what are ultimately human constructs, and "fictions," but would otherwise be left unknown.<br /><br />I assume when you say "entrapped" you are meaning that people need to understand the fictions of the world, be able to look around and outside of them -- but still embrace them, and use them when necessary. <br /><br />Am I correct?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com