Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id AAA18138 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 14 Feb 2001 00:41:07 GMT Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.0.20010213181945.020c5860@pop3.htcomp.net> X-Sender: mmills@pop3.htcomp.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0.2 Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 18:35:30 -0600 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: Mark Mills <mmills@htcomp.net> Subject: Re: realist-rationalist quad In-Reply-To: <3A89C98C.48C1161F@wehi.edu.au> References: <5.0.2.1.0.20010213171356.021086f0@pop3.htcomp.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
John,
At 10:55 AM 2/14/01 +1100, you wrote:
>Bear in mind that these are polar, not discrete, options.
? Not sure I understand. I changed the website
(http://www.htcomp.net/markmills/real-rational.htm) to look more polar, but
I doubt this is what you mean by polar and discrete.
> This describes
>a field of positions that may be occupied in degrees rather than kind.
Are you saying it is impossible to 100% realist and 100% rationalist at the
same time?
It seems to be that one or the other must be primary at any given
moment. It seems like a matter of methodology. Does one start with
rational intuition? Does one start with refined sensual data (realism)?
One has to start somewhere.
>Moreover, there may not be equilibrium states (see David Lewis'
>_Conventions_ for a description of these) but rather some sort of
>chaotic attractors so that the most stable position is something like
>pragmatist realism but not entirely.
Pragmatic realism... hm, where is that on the quad? 90% realism, 30%
rationalism? Given my 'first steps' metaphor, 90 steps toward enhanced
sensual data and 30 towards rational understanding? And of course, does
this have anything do to with epistemology?
>How you could determine this I am
>not sure. Perhaps it could be modelled and then tested against observations.
That sounds interesting. Did any ideas come to mind?
Mark
http://www.htcomp.net/markmills
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