From: Jonathan Robie (Jonathan.Robie@SoftwareAG-USA.com)
Date: Thu Jul 26 2001 - 15:25:18 EDT
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At 11:24 AM 7/26/2001 -0400, Randy Leedy wrote:
>Isn't it equally possible that the invalidity
>lies in the insistence that something undefinable doesn't exist?
More precisely, in any system that is based on a model, whatever is
undefinable is outside the model. I believe that God exists, but I can not
build a computational model of God.
A computational linguist may have difficulty building a formal model of a
sentence, whether or not that linguist believes that sentences exist.
>Take art, for example. Who can define the properties of a certain set of
>lines, shapes, colors, textures, etc. that qualifies one piece of
>treated canvas as art, and the absence of which disqualifies another?
>Will we then say that because our best attempts at defining art fall
>short of objective infallibility art does not exist?
Somehow, this reminds me of:
I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I
understand to be embraced with that shorthand description. ... But I know
it when I see it.
--Potter Stewart (concurring), Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184, 198 (1964).
Cheers,
Jonathan
Jonathan Robie
jwrobie@mindspring.com
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