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Re: [ontolog-forum] Axiomatic ontology

To: "[ontolog-forum] " <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Rob Freeman" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Pat Hayes <phayes@xxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:39:32 -0500
Message-id: <45F80671-B960-45A5-B44E-E4A600FB2209@xxxxxxx>

On Oct 17, 2008, at 5:35 AM, Rob Freeman wrote:    (01)

> Chris,
>
> You say:
>
> '...there are properties
> whose extensions are utterly random sets of natural numbers, ones
> whose members cannot be picked out by any finite expression or any
> computable process.  If ever there were a definition of a
> "meaningless" property or relation in the sense that Rob seems to be
> groping for, that would be it.'
>
> The connection with randomness is well spotted. But why would you
> characterize "properties whose extensions are ... random" as
> meaningless, necessarily?
>
> "Random" things don't obey rules, sure, but that need not mean devoid
> of content, rather the contrary.    (02)

First, Chris wasn't using scare quotes: he was talking about really,  
genuinely, RANDOM. Given that, I also fail to see how a random set of  
numbers can have any content. Perhaps you can enlighten about this?  
What kind of "content" can a purely random set - or, to be concrete,  
lets make it a random linear sequence of numerals - have?    (03)

On the face of things, this conversation seems to be suggesting that  
what you mean by "content" and "meaning" might be different from any  
meaning I can attach to these terms.    (04)

Pat    (05)

PS. FWIW, there is no randomness in category theory.    (06)

>    (07)

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