On 06/15/2017 06:38 AM, Nick Thompson wrote: > It is a writer's job to control the reference of his signs, in so far as s/he > can.
I disagree completely with the ultimate consequences of what you're saying. There is a philosophy in many branches of engineering to do exactly that: to engineer a device so that it optimally fits it's intended user/usage. And that's all dandy. However, art (for example) is not engineering. Poetry is not engineering. Math is not engineering. Science is not engineering. If we _always_ and forever try to clamp down on a creator's creative act in the way you intend, we'd either die an order death or explode into chaos. It is a writer's job, except when it's not. My guess is that it's the writer's job to balance and judge the amount of control to attempt. > In writing code, you guys wouldn't put out a line of code without making > clear what language you were writing in, would you? Yes, absolutely! In fact, the ability to program without specifying which language you're using is the holy grail of programming. -- ☣ glen ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove