Note carefully that the modeling relation is central to putting these words
into
context. If you try to interpret them out of that context, things get
hopelessly confused.
>
>..perhaps
>> requiring a different way of looking at it...perhaps it is
>> necessary not to look at it as an object (something you can attach
>> a number to)...but as something that can only be approached by
>> looking at the relationships or organization of certain interacting
>> components.
>
>Sure, and if you give these things a number [like the exponents they
>use in chaos-theory] y0u can measure it. Of course every language is
>reeducing everything eventually.
>
A numer assigned to a QUALITY is an arbitrary scale, not a measurement.
A measurement requires a metric. This is tough. We never had a
metric for thermodynamics until Network thermodynamics provided one!
I refer you to Rosen's book "Fundamentals of Measurement" which deals with
this issue in great depth and leaves little room for ambiguity.
>..and perhaps the distinguishing thing separating the
>> "complex" from the "non-complex" is the existance of a closed
>> causal loop, self-reference, strange loop, inpredicativity, or
>> vicious circle (all terms for the same thing). This is what Rosen
>> claims.
>
>These are very specific ways of defining complexity, but that's alright
>to me.
>
>Theories come and go, the frog stays [F. Jacob]
>-------------------------------------------------------
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>|Technical University Delft, Jaffalaan 5 2600 GA Delft
> PO Box 5015 The Netherlands
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>HTTP://www.sepa.tudelft.nl/~afd_ba/hanss.html featuring evolution and memetics!
>
The reason for repeating these things is that there is really meat in them
(sorry to the vegitarians). As I said before, Rosen is a master at using
reductionist methodology and the myth of objectivity to show the system's
intrinsic limitations. I have yet to see anyone tackle this in depth.
It can be very rewarding!
Best wishes, Don Mikulecky
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
! Don Mikulecky, First International Laboratory for the Application of !
! Analysis Situs to Physiology (FILASAP) !
! Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth University !
! Mikulecky@gems.vcu.edu !
!**********************************************************************!
! An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it !
! at the moment. It must stand or fall on its own merits. !
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