Gary, List
I would agree; discussions of the categories often move into
abstract theoretical comments, ignoring that 'phenomenology' is 'the
doctrine of Categories' 1.280 - and therefore, the focus should be,
in my view, to move out of the rhetorical and into phenomenological
analysis of exactly how these categories function within the real
world. - that is- within material entities. I note that Peirce
outlined his rejection of the 'type of naturalist' who rejects "any
suggestion that experiment can ever be of real value in biology
1.261..ie..who rejects moving from theory into pragmatic reality.
I think that outlining the function of the categories within human
experience clarifies the categories - and I acknowledge your clear
outline with your example of your interaction with the crow - but I
think that these types of examples, though valid, do not examine the
incredible power of Peirce's categorical analytic framework - which
actually explains the formation of matter as a semiosic process.
An example can be seen in Jesper Hoffmeyer's outline of the human
[or other] immune system as a 'floating brain'. [Signs of Meaning
1993, 87], ie., as a process of Thirdness. Peirce himself outlines
protoplasm as functioning within all three categories 1.350..and yet
again, there's his 4.551 comment that "thought is not necessarily
connected with a brain':...i.e., thirdness operates within matter -
and if Thirdness is there, then so are the other categories of 1ns
and 2ns.
As he has said - 'protoplasm feels' which is a property of
1ns...andn protoplasm also engages in the 'taking of habits'. "It
not only feels but exercises all the functions of mind' [Man's Glassy
Essence. 1892]. That is - these actions in matter function without
human observation or awareness.
With regard to feeling - which is without consciousness, as Peirce
outlines it, it is 'that which has not another behind it, determining
its actions" 1.302. And it is 'suchness sui generis' 1.303 - this is
simply the acceptance by, eg, the cell, or the organism, of an
external stimulus. That's all. There is no definition of this input
data..for that requires a reactive awareness of the 'intrusion'.
My point is that the categories function within the phenomenological
world without any observation or analysis by humans. They are an
integral aspect of Mind-as-Matter, and the functioning of our
physico-chemical and biological worlds.
Edwina
On Fri 12/03/21 11:03 AM , [email protected] sent:
When the subject of Peirce’s “categories” arises, the
discourse always seems to jump directly into theoretical issues and
applications. Even in published studies there seems to be little
discussion of the practice of phenomenology or phaneroscopy (or
phenoscopy, the term Peirce introduced in the Century Dictionary).
But I agree with Jon Alan that this practice, and especially the
practice of prescission, is the experiential basis of whatever we can
say about Peirce’s “categories” or “formal elements of the
phaneron.”
I have accordingly tried to draft a short introductory-level
‘manual’ for this practice: https://gnusystems.ca/TS/pheno.htm
[1]. (This is now incorporated as the “Presign” into Turning
Signs [2], as its introduction to Thirdness leads into some basics of
semiotics.) Of course it’s possible that someone else has done
something like this, perhaps done it better, somewhere on the Net,
and if anyone knows of such a text I’d appreciate notification of
it. Meanwhile I’d welcome any discussion of my attempt on the list,
with a view to improving or expanding it.
Gary f.
} I want to ask the meaning of spring's coming, but even the plum
blossoms do not know. [Dogen] {
https://gnusystems.ca/wp/ [3] }{ living the time
Links:
------
[1] https://gnusystems.ca/TS/pheno.htm
[2] https://gnusystems.ca/TS/index.html
[3] https://gnusystems.ca/wp/
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