The first issue is crucial to refute posmodernists' fallacious dichotomy of "in here" vs. "out there" of perception. Thank you both, Ayn Rand and Peikoff for your amazing work. Greetings from Chile
[OPAR Ch. 3] 1:30 Metaphysical Status of Sensory Qualities Puffs of Meta-Energy example [OPAR Ch. 3.1] 13:05 Concepts, the Unit perspective, and Language 34:10 Problems with traditional answers to the concept: What exactly do concepts refer to in reality? [OPAR Ch. 3.2] 39:10 Objectivism's answer to the problem: Concept formation as a mathematical process * Mathematics is the science of measurement. * Measurement is the identification of a relationship - a quantitative relationship established by means of a standard that serves as a unit. 44:50 Measurement is an anthropocentric process, related to concept formation; both have the same purpose and follow the same method When we form a concept, our mental process consists of retaining the characteristics of the concretes but omitting their measurements. To omit a measurement means: The measurement exists in *some* quantity, but may exist in *any* (unspecified) quantity. A concept is a mental integration of two or more units possessing the same distinguishing characteristics, with their particular measurements omitted. 57:01 Conceptual Common Denominator Role of measurement in differentiation OPAR: "Such differentiation cannot be performed automatically.".. 1:01:10 OPAR: "What is the practical purpose of the Objectivist theory of concepts?" [OPAR 3.3] 1:06:30 Concept formation applied to concepts of consciousness 1:08:00 every state of consciousness consists of two fundamental attributes: Content and Action. Action - the process of consciousness (thinking, remembering, feeling, etc.); Remember that conscious involves an active process. Content - referent or object of the action For example: thinking (action) about furniture/vehicle (content), remembering (action) a birthday/recipe (content). To form concepts of actions of conscious, one must first collect several instance of that action (thinking of vehicles, thinking of algebra, thinking of a loved one) and then perform abstraction (i.e omit measurements). Two types of measurements need to be omitted in case of a psychological process: the 'content' (discussed) and the 'intensity.' The intensity of a thought refers to an approximate quantitative (ordinal) measurement of the mental effort required to perform the process. This may be a function of many things such as the amount of relevant content one needs to consider, the length of reasoning, the feeling involved by the subject matter, and so on. A psychological process/action must possess *some* content and *some* intensity, but it may possess *any* content and *any* intensity. [OPAR 3.4] 1:19:20 Definitions as the final step in concept formation, and the open endedness of concepts A definition identifies a concept's units by specifying their essential/fundamental characteristics. A definition consists of differentia (the essential distinguishing characteristics) and a genus (the wider group being distinguished from) For e.g. Man is an animal (genus) with the capacity to reason (differentia). Definitions are not arbitrary. Definitions are determined by facts of reality - within the context of one's knowledge. Both aspects of this statement are crucial: reality and the context of knowledge; existence and consciousness. A definition correct at one stage of knowledge will never be contradiced at a later stage. 1:34:45 Rule of Fundamentality 1:39:00 Relationship between a concept and it's definition OPAR: "A concept is not interchangeable with its definition - not even if the definition [..] happens to be correct." It stands for all characteristics of the unit (including those not currently known), not just the essentials distinguishing characteristics. "A concept is not a concept of your knowledge of the entity, it's a concept of the entity." 1:48:59 Question Period 1:49:30 Does the fact of free will imply that it dominates every essential aspect of a human being? 1:51:10 Effect of environment on a human. 1:55:20 How can one choose to focus since being able to choose implies being in focus? 1:57:25 You don't need the concept of focus in order to focus 1:58:45 Can you focus without focusing on something in particular? 2:00:10 Is it really possible for someone to stop thinking? 2:03:45 Does a man deserve moral condemnation for emotions that are a result of contradictory premises? 2:10:00 Are we aware of consciousness by direct sense perception? (Introspection) 2:10:40 Is it self evident that introspection is a valid means of knowledge? 2:12:14 Reading recommendations 2:13:20 Dictionary recommendation 2:15:02 Do you object to students making copies of their notes of this course for distribution or sale? 2:15:55 Is Epistemology more important than Metaphysics? Which of these is more fundamental? 2:18:50 Who was Alfred Korzibsky? 2:20:05 Concept Formation and IQ 2:24:20 Concept of time 2:25:40 Does an expanding context invalidate prior definitions? 2:27:19 Is all knowledge based on prior knowledge? 2:27:50 question around definitions being contextual 2:30:25 Since insane men are not rational, would you alter the definition of man? (GEM! 💎; All living entities are capable of being damaged. Including damage to their essential characteristic.) 2:32:25 Epistemological status of the Objectivist Theory of Concepts 2:36:40 What is the genus for an axiomatic concept such as Existence 2:39:00 Is there a validity to the notion of visual thinking? 2:39:25 Is the relationship between mathematics and concept formation similar to that of Bertrand Russell's view on the same?
The first issue is crucial to refute posmodernists' fallacious dichotomy of "in here" vs. "out there" of perception. Thank you both, Ayn Rand and Peikoff for your amazing work. Greetings from Chile
[OPAR Ch. 3]
1:30 Metaphysical Status of Sensory Qualities
Puffs of Meta-Energy example
[OPAR Ch. 3.1]
13:05 Concepts, the Unit perspective, and Language
34:10 Problems with traditional answers to the concept: What exactly do concepts refer to in reality?
[OPAR Ch. 3.2]
39:10 Objectivism's answer to the problem: Concept formation as a mathematical process
* Mathematics is the science of measurement.
* Measurement is the identification of a relationship - a quantitative relationship established by means of a standard that serves as a unit.
44:50 Measurement is an anthropocentric process, related to concept formation; both have the same purpose and follow the same method
When we form a concept, our mental process consists of retaining the characteristics of the concretes but omitting their measurements.
To omit a measurement means: The measurement exists in *some* quantity, but may exist in *any* (unspecified) quantity.
A concept is a mental integration of two or more units possessing the same distinguishing characteristics, with their particular measurements omitted.
57:01 Conceptual Common Denominator
Role of measurement in differentiation
OPAR: "Such differentiation cannot be performed automatically."..
1:01:10 OPAR: "What is the practical purpose of the Objectivist theory of concepts?"
[OPAR 3.3]
1:06:30 Concept formation applied to concepts of consciousness
1:08:00 every state of consciousness consists of two fundamental attributes: Content and Action.
Action - the process of consciousness (thinking, remembering, feeling, etc.); Remember that conscious involves an active process.
Content - referent or object of the action
For example: thinking (action) about furniture/vehicle (content), remembering (action) a birthday/recipe (content).
To form concepts of actions of conscious, one must first collect several instance of that action (thinking of vehicles, thinking of algebra, thinking of a loved one) and then perform abstraction (i.e omit measurements).
Two types of measurements need to be omitted in case of a psychological process: the 'content' (discussed) and the 'intensity.'
The intensity of a thought refers to an approximate quantitative (ordinal) measurement of the mental effort required to perform the process. This may be a function of many things such as the amount of relevant content one needs to consider, the length of reasoning, the feeling involved by the subject matter, and so on.
A psychological process/action must possess *some* content and *some* intensity, but it may possess *any* content and *any* intensity.
[OPAR 3.4]
1:19:20 Definitions as the final step in concept formation, and the open endedness of concepts
A definition identifies a concept's units by specifying their essential/fundamental characteristics.
A definition consists of differentia (the essential distinguishing characteristics) and a genus (the wider group being distinguished from)
For e.g. Man is an animal (genus) with the capacity to reason (differentia).
Definitions are not arbitrary. Definitions are determined by facts of reality - within the context of one's knowledge. Both aspects of this statement are crucial: reality and the context of knowledge; existence and consciousness.
A definition correct at one stage of knowledge will never be contradiced at a later stage.
1:34:45 Rule of Fundamentality
1:39:00 Relationship between a concept and it's definition
OPAR: "A concept is not interchangeable with its definition - not even if the definition [..] happens to be correct."
It stands for all characteristics of the unit (including those not currently known), not just the essentials distinguishing characteristics.
"A concept is not a concept of your knowledge of the entity, it's a concept of the entity."
1:48:59 Question Period
1:49:30 Does the fact of free will imply that it dominates every essential aspect of a human being?
1:51:10 Effect of environment on a human.
1:55:20 How can one choose to focus since being able to choose implies being in focus?
1:57:25 You don't need the concept of focus in order to focus
1:58:45 Can you focus without focusing on something in particular?
2:00:10 Is it really possible for someone to stop thinking?
2:03:45 Does a man deserve moral condemnation for emotions that are a result of contradictory premises?
2:10:00 Are we aware of consciousness by direct sense perception? (Introspection)
2:10:40 Is it self evident that introspection is a valid means of knowledge?
2:12:14 Reading recommendations
2:13:20 Dictionary recommendation
2:15:02 Do you object to students making copies of their notes of this course for distribution or sale?
2:15:55 Is Epistemology more important than Metaphysics? Which of these is more fundamental?
2:18:50 Who was Alfred Korzibsky?
2:20:05 Concept Formation and IQ
2:24:20 Concept of time
2:25:40 Does an expanding context invalidate prior definitions?
2:27:19 Is all knowledge based on prior knowledge?
2:27:50 question around definitions being contextual
2:30:25 Since insane men are not rational, would you alter the definition of man?
(GEM! 💎; All living entities are capable of being damaged. Including damage to their essential characteristic.)
2:32:25 Epistemological status of the Objectivist Theory of Concepts
2:36:40 What is the genus for an axiomatic concept such as Existence
2:39:00 Is there a validity to the notion of visual thinking?
2:39:25 Is the relationship between mathematics and concept formation similar to that of Bertrand Russell's view on the same?
Thank you!