Ideas from 'Philosophical Grammar' by Ludwig Wittgenstein [1932], by Theme Structure
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6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 1. Mathematics
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In mathematics everything is algorithm and nothing is meaning
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Full Idea:
In mathematics everything is algorithm and nothing is meaning; even when it doesn't look like that because we seem to be using words to talk about mathematical things.
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From:
Ludwig Wittgenstein (Philosophical Grammar [1932], p.468), quoted by J. Alberto Coffa - The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap 13 'Constr'
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A reaction:
I would have thought that an algorithm needs some raw material to work with. This leads to the idea that meaning arises from rules of usage.
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21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 2. Aesthetic Attitude
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Consider: "Imagine this butterfly exactly as it is, but ugly instead of beautiful"
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Full Idea:
Suppose someone were to say: "Imagine this butterfly exactly as it is, but ugly instead of beautiful"?!
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From:
Ludwig Wittgenstein (Philosophical Grammar [1932], §127), quoted by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason
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A reaction:
This reminds us that the concept of supervenience was originally introduced in aesthetics. Beauty is supervenient on physical form. But "Imagine how someone else might look at this butterfly and think it was ugly".
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