From: Arlo J. Bensinger (ajb102@psu.edu)
Date: Tue Jul 26 2005 - 05:04:08 BST
[Robert challenged]
Each culture shares the same mind, because it shares the same language and the
same ideas. If you disagree, tell me with what you think if not with words.
[Platt responded]
> Consciousness is the faculty that perceives reality, forms judgments and
> chooses values. My cat is conscious. Mind is the faculty of creating,
> collecting and manipulating symbols that stand for patterns of
> perceptions. This faculty defines humans. Mathematicians think without
> words.
[Arlo jumps in]
Mathematicians (good ones) come to internalize complex mathematical operations
as symbols that perhaps don't necessarily have "word" counterparts. For
example, perhaps the number I call "two" is in the mind of a mathematician just
the symbol "2", or some other semiotic sign, but explain how a mathematician
can do math without relying on a semiotic system? Indeed, explain to me how
"math" is NOT itself a semiotic system? Does the number "two" exist somewhere
outside of semiosis? Does "addition" or "division"?
Thinking (after pre-intellectual awareness) is entirely semiotic. Can you give
me any example of a "thought" (not a pre-intellectual response to Quality) that
is not mediated by signs and symbols of one's cultural system? Whether words,
or numbers, or shapes with cultural meaning?
Arlo
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archives:
Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
Nov '02 Onward - http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Tue Jul 26 2005 - 05:13:48 BST