Dear John,
I agree with saying the analysis or modeling of goal-directed,
purposive, or intentional conduct, as opposed to brute action,
stimulus-response behavior, or cause-effect dynamics, demands
triadic relations to capture the complexity of the phenomena.
But the converse does not follow. Not all triadic relations involve
a “mediating intention (goal or purpose) by some mind or quasi-mind”.
Otherwise the essence of logic boils down to something substantially
psychological or quasi-psychological. That would not comport with
Peirce's stated intention for his brand of logic.
Regards,
Jon
On 3/28/2021 11:25 PM, John F. Sowa wrote:
Jeff,
JBD: when the cars make contact, does the triadic relation exist?
In saying that the triadic relation is degenerate, do you
take that to imply it is reducible in all cases?
The essential aspect of Thirdness is a
mediating intention (goal or purpose) by some mind or quasi-mind.
Peirce's most characteristic example is 'giving', which requires an
intention by the giver A to transfer ownership of some gift B to some
recipient C.
If A happens to put B on a table and C takes
it. The transfer is completed, but there is no evidence of a mediating
intention. You could represent that transfer by a triadic relation. But
that triad is degenerate because it is equivalent to a conjunction of
dyads.
If you apply that principle to the collision of three
cars, we must ask whether there was any mind or quasi-mind that had some
intention, plan, or goal to cause that collision. If so, any adequate
representation of the situation must contain at least one triadic
relation. If not, it could be represented by a conjunction of
dyads.
John
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