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Re: [ontolog-forum] electric sheep

To: Avril Styrman <Avril.Styrman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "John F. Sowa" <sowa@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:20:25 -0500
Message-id: <47346CA9.10300@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Avril,    (01)

I believe that Aristotle was an outstanding pioneer
in a great many fields and that his ideas on any topic
are well worth considering today.  But I don't consider
him to be the final arbiter of every issue.    (02)

 > why do you then think that ontology is called the
 > "first philosophy"?    (03)

It was an excellent guess (abduction) for that time.  But
today, I would say that semiotics is a much better candidate
for that position -- primarily because semiotics (especially
Peirce's version, spelled semeiotic) focuses on the process
of discovery and use.  The goal is always better understanding.
Perfect understanding would be nice, but don't hold your breath.    (04)

 > That IAO [Ideal Abstract Ontology] does not exist today,
 > does not indicate that it could not exist.    (05)

Of course not.  It is like the Ideal Theory of Science (ITS).
ITS and IAO are co-dependent and neither one can exist before
the other is completely finished.  It is not impossible for
humanity (or its successor species) to discover IAO or ITS,
but I would bet that the end of the world comes first.    (06)

 > After reading the first part that concerns paradoxes of
 > nominalism, one can hardly be a nominalist anymore.    (07)

After reading Peirce, one can hardly be a nominalist anymore.    (08)

 > Again, one branch of IAO solved.    (09)

As Leibniz said, perfect understanding is only attainable
by an infinite mind.  One step toward it is useful, but
that doesn't begin to close the gap toward infinity.    (010)

John    (011)



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