Re: MD Pirsig and Rorty the inadequacies of post modernism

From: David MOREY (us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Sat Feb 07 2004 - 20:39:52 GMT

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    Hi

    I did pick up the irony but wanted you to expand upon it.
    I did say static qualities (repeating) dominates mathematics
    where as DQ implies contingency/chaos/opennes or creativity,
    obviously some maths is looking at chaotic systems.

      ----- Original Message -----
      From: joan vollmann
      To: moq_discuss@moq.org
      Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 4:40 AM
      Subject: Re: MD Pirsig and Rorty the inadequacies of post modernism

      David MOREY <us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
        Hi

        Interesting question. Mathematics is a language
        with more rigorous defintions and uses of its components.
        Is there such a thing as a mathematical metaphor? Is there
        a problem of intention/interpretation in maths? Maths is ruled
        by the equals sign where static relationships dominate. I sm not
        aware of post-modernmism appearing in maths, but as a language
        I am not sure that it is impossible to apply it. What do you think?
        Does reason belong to the realm of numbers? Maths is more about
        models and formula, i.e. relationships, i.e. repeating patterns in so
        far as we can tie maths to the world. Sure maths can be done without
        tie up to the world but how useful is this. Have you read this:

        http://www.onlineoriginals.com/showitem.asp?itemID=287&articleID=18(

        regards
        David M

        I am sorry that you did not pick up on the intended irony of my comment. If it is valid to assume that the basic character of post-modernism does not change radically from one discipline to the next, let's say from art to anthropology to philosophy, etc., then post-modernist mathematics would be an absurd beast to say the least. (hey hey, ho ho, those rational numbers have got to go....)

        What I was getting at is the question of whether or not it is possible to supplant a socially oriented ideology with a more or less intellectually driven ideology in the context of a socially oriented environment. Is intellectual quality concerned with problems in the social realm, or is intellectual quality concerned with its upper boundary, dynamic quality? The post-modern/ critical-realist "question" appears to represent a Pirsigian border skirmish.

        If math is dominated by static relationships how would you explain fractal geometry. Also, Godel and Turing both proved that mathematics is metaphor. What do you think?

        pull no punches,
        todvalley

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