Jerry, List: I have corrected the typo, changing "synergism" to "synechism" below.
Again, from the standpoint of metaphysics, I understand the constitution of contingent being to be an inexhaustible continuum (3ns) of indefinite possibilities (1ns), some of which are actualized (2ns). Material reality corresponds to the last part--existence, reaction, discrete 2ns. In Peirce's words, "The whole universe of true and real possibilities forms a continuum, upon which this Universe of Actual Existence is, by virtue of the essential 2ns of Existence, a discontinuous mark--like a line figure drawn on the area of the blackboard" (NEM 4:345, 1898). Summarized (by Peirce) as a *substance *ontology, "matter is effete mind" (CP 6.25, EP 1:293, 1891), "mere specialized and partially deadened mind" (CP 6.102, EP 1:312, 1892), "mind hidebound with habits" (CP 6.158, EP 1:331, 1892). Summarized (by me) as a *process *ontology, discrete things and their dyadic reactions are degenerate outcomes of continuous and triadic semiosis. The intrinsic discreteness of numbers is precisely why Peirce repeatedly refers to the (so-called) real numbers as a "pseudo-continuum." Treating them as if they were truly continuous--or even positing a "supermultitudinous" collection as truly continuous, which he advocated for a while--is the "bottom-up" approach that he ultimately rejected in favor of the "top-down" topical conception. Instead of the discrete parts being real and the whole being an *ens rationis*, the continuous whole is real and the parts are *entia rationis*. After all, "The hypotheses of mathematics relate to systems which are either finite collections, infinite collections, or true continua; and the modes of reasoning about these three are quite distinct" (CP 1.283, 1902). In the subsequent sentences, Peirce identifies topical geometry as the study of true continua, then situates both arithmetic (rational numbers) and calculus (real numbers) within the study of infinite collections. Regards, Jon Alan Schmidt - Olathe, Kansas, USA Structural Engineer, Synechist Philosopher, Lutheran Christian www.LinkedIn.com/in/JonAlanSchmidt / twitter.com/JonAlanSchmidt On Wed, May 8, 2024 at 2:40 PM Jerry LR Chandler < jerry_lr_chand...@icloud.com> wrote: > Jon: > > On May 7, 2024, at 5:24 PM, Jon Alan Schmidt <jonalanschm...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > What additional insights can we gain from further contemplating continuity > in light of the categories, and the categories in light of continuity? > > Material reality of the chemical sciences is based on the uniqueness of > every chemical element. > > How do you rationalize this view of synechism with the computations of > atomic logics as discrete elements of the table of elements and the > corresponding copulative logic that CSP described? (Recall, roughly > speaking, that all numeric computation that uses discrete symbols, that is, > the index for symbols / icons is not continuous.) > > Cheers > Jerry >
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