[MD] confused

[ian glendinning]

I hate to have to say this, and disagree with a suggestion by Platt ...

But I don't support the idea of an official glossary ... too easily misused.
Don't take my word for it. After Johnson's "daughters of heaven", I'd
say the best caveat on the subject is this one ...

If we do develop a glossary it needs a big warning sign like this one.

"It often does more harm than good to force definitions on things we
don't  understand. Only in logic and mathematics do definitions ever
capture concepts perfectly. The things we deal with in practical life
are usually too complicated to be represented by neat, compact
expressions. Especially when it comes to understanding minds, we still
know so little that we can't be sure our ideas about psychology are
even aimed in the right directions. One must not mistake defining
things for knowing what they are."
Marvin Minsky - The Society of Mind - 1985

Regards
Ian

On 10/30/06, Ron Kulp <RKulp at ebwalshinc.com> wrote:
>
> This is an excellent Idea, certainly would cut down on long heated
> debates on definition where definition needs to be agreed apon to
> further the concept...it can be frustrating to try to express a view
> when one questions what you mean on every other
> Word.
> -Ron
> -----Original Message-----
> From: moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org
> [mailto:moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org] On Behalf Of pholden at davtv.com
> Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 7:57 AM
> To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
> Subject: Re: [MD] confused
>
> Quoting Ham Priday <hampday1 at verizon.net>:
>
> [Platt]
> > > Would be helpful I think
> > > to have an "official" dictionary and an "official" encyclopedia for
> > > this site, one that is preferably accessible on the Internet without
>
> > > a fee.
>
> [Ham]>
> > Great idea.  Have you suggested it to Horse?  I just happen to have
> > the Webster's Collegiate that my son used in school.  The Dictionary
> > of Philosophy (really a compact encyclopedia of the subject) was
> > compiled by an editorial staff under Dagobert Runes, a prominent
> > philosophical researcher, and published by Littlefield, Adams & Co. in
>
> > their New Students Outline
> > (softback) Series.  You might want to check with a PhD like Ant or DMB
>
> > as to the suitability of the Runes book for MoQ use as compared, say,
> > to Wikipedia.  (I'd prefer to recuse myself from such discussion for
> > obvious
> > reasons.)
>
> We'll see if anyone thinks this would be helpful to MOQ discussions. The
> seed has been planted.
>
> Regards,
> Platt
>
>
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