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2 ideas
17377 | All descriptive language is classificatory [Dupré] |
Full Idea: Classification pervades any descriptive use of language whatever. | |
From: John Dupré (The Disorder of Things [1993], 1) | |
A reaction: This is because, as Aristotle well knew, language consists almost entirely of universals (apart from the proper names). Language just is classification. |
17376 | We should aim for a classification which tells us as much as possible about the object [Dupré] |
Full Idea: The most important desideratum of a classificatory scheme is that assigning an object to a particular classification tell us as much as possible about that object. | |
From: John Dupré (The Disorder of Things [1993], Ch 1) | |
A reaction: We should probably say that the aim is a successful explanation, rather than a heap of information. If we are totally baffled by a particular type of object, it is presumably important to group the instances together, to focus the bafflement. |