Words to Know
perspicuity
- The quality of being clear, or easily understood due to precision of presentation and clarity.
viz
- Namely, in other words.
- Abbreviation of videlicet.
videlicet
- Formal of viz.
- Latin from videre (to see) and licet (it is possible).
militates
- A powerful or conclusive factor in preventing. (relating to a fact or circumstance)
a priori
- Relating to or denoting reasoning or knowledge that proceeds from theoretical deduction rather than from observation (viz empirical) experience.
Occult
- Supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomenon.
Derision
- Contemptuous ridicule or mockery.
Strictures
- Restrictions on a person or an activity.
Taxonomic
- The branch of science concerned with classification.
Probity
- The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
Venery
- Hunting.
- Sexual indulgence.
Alacrity
- Brisk and cheerful readiness.
Benjamin Franklin's Essentials of Religion
"That there is one God, who made all things."
"The He governs the World by his providence."
"That He ought to be worshipped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving."
"But that the most acceptable service to God is doing good to man."
"The the soul is immortal."
"And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or here after."
Benjamin Franklin's Necessary and Desirable Virtues
Franklin made a list of the virtues he wished to acquire in his autobiography.
- Temperance - Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
- Silence - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
- Order - let all your things have their place; let each part of your business have its time.
- Resolution - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
- Frugality - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing.
- Industry - Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
- Sincerity - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly and if you speak, speak accordingly.
- Justice - Wrong non by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
- Moderation - Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries, so much as you think they deserve.
- Cleanliness - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
- Tranquility - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
- Chastity - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
- Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
The Difference Between Propositions and Propositional Functions
Boole used the term proposition for what is know called a propositional function. For this reason there is now a clear distinction. (The latter is a function of time.)
- A proposition - Something that is always true or always false; ie. 9+3=12.
- A propositional Function - Something that is sometimes true and sometimes false; ie. Ron Paul is running for president.
The Logic of Truth
Mathematics has roots deep in history, many of which reach to the origins of philosophy. The aim of both of these sciences is universal truth.
Mathematical Logic is another name for Symbolic Logic, a name widely used after the work of John Venn (1834-1923). It uses symbols to represent anything from numbers to concepts and propositions. When numbers are used we branch off into what is commonly known as algebra; the system used to quickly and easily attain mathematical truths. When these symbols represent concepts or propositions we immerse ourselves in the “algebra of logic”.
This Symbolic Logic originated with Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC). According to philosophypages.com; “The aim of Aristotle's logical treatises (known collectively as the Organon) was to develop a universal method of reasoning by means of which it would be possible to learn everything there is to know about reality.”
Leibniz (1646-1716) had similar goals. The work of these men was to create a system in which the efficiency of mental effort would bring about the means for rapid attainment of knowledge. These expressions, looking much like mathematical expressions could be used to derive further truths.
Much of the later work in this field is due to the combined efforts of Descartes (1596-1650) and Boole(1815–1864).
Leibniz’s principles of logic can be boiled down to two statements:
- All our ideas are compounded of a very small number of simple ideas which for the “alphabet of human thoughts”
- Complex ideas proceed from these simple ideas by a uniform and symmetrical combination which is analogous to arithmetical multiplication.
Currently it is commonly believed by logicians that this “alphabet of human thought” is larger than Leibniz originally thought. Also, the combination of ideas involves a greater number of operations than just multiplication.
The greatest result of the work of these men is the realization that statements retain their validity after uniform operations and transformations commonly referred to as the algebra of logic.
Resources:
- Aristotle - http://www.iep.utm.edu/aristotl/
http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/aris.htm - Boole - http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/boole/
Organization and Patience
We've recently re-organized the files for the site so you may notice new html file names (probably not).
This is due to the time-old saying that organization prevents stress.
As the number of files grows for the site we need to have a very clear file naming system.
Hopefully this should in no way obstruct your pleasant experience with the site.
If anything does come up however that is where we ask for your patience.
Thank you.
Updates and Hits
Feel free to check out the new Hiragana and Katakana pages added to the Japanese page.
Also, the hit counter at the bottom of the page is for unique I.P. addresses only. That means it only goes up after a new viewer logs on. Once you've visited this site once it will never go up again for the computer you're on (it will go up if you use a different computer). Feel free to try if you're in disbelief. Twenty-six unique visitors is quite unbelievable (as of the writing of this article).
Ampère's four points
Devoted to the classification of the sciences for the mutual benefits of its participants, Ampère said that four fundamental points of view should be systematically applied to each field of scientific endeavor. He later said that this realization was one of the greatest achievements of his life. These "views" were defined as:
- autoptic: concerns that which is given to immediate observation.
- cryptoristic: seeks what is hidden from observation, by way of interpretation.
- troponmic: relates the object to others, by comparisons, to deduce laws.
- cryptologic: seeks what is hidden by using notions from the prior viewpoints.
Words to know
Chimera
- a. when capitalized it refers to a fire-breathing she-monster. A creature from Greek mythology
having the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and a serpent's tail. (Daughter of Typhon and Marvel Comics mutant character?)
b. an imaginary monster of various parts. - a fabrication of the mind or an unrealizable dream.
Heuristic
- a. an aid to learning.
b. discovery through trial and error. - learning for one's self.
Google me
After our team googled my name we realized that a few things need to be straightened out.
I am not:
- A deceased British author and "footballer"
- on facebook
- a voice actor looking for hire or director
- a biotechnologist, a CEO, a Network Administrator or the President of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
- a late titanic passenger
Updates and Something to Think About
A few pages have been updated. A couple new books, more Japanese, and the mathematics sections has been expanded. An interesting introduction to physics has also been added. A few embarrassing spelling errors have been corrected and we are proud to begin what should be a very fun journey together.
What I want you to think about is this: Are dogs better at languages than we are? At first this may seem quite ridiculous, however what should be considered is that they can understand a little bit of our language (mostly what we teach them) but we can understand none of theirs.
The New Layout...
This is a glimpse of the future. Now that they layout is simpler and cleaner there will be a gradual increase in content.
A Few Thoughts on Topology and Reality...
If you have any interest in either of the following: Philosophy, Art, Music, Reality, Math, The Universe, etc... You may enjoy the enlightening read of Godel, Escher, Back: an eternal golden braid, a pleasant walk through the garden of human intellect.
Travel Note: Pack your towel.
Social/Hygene Note: Use it.
