RE: SUO: Monolithic ontologies (was ontology as science)
John,
I am aware that logic does not directly treat tense. There was no need for
that when it was designed for mathematics.
I am also aware that from a linguistic point of view, you can group these
into a category called indexicals. However there is also an implicit
ontological choice (favouring the 4D perspective) being made here - which
needs to be made explicit.
As you are aware, if you consult one of the standard introductions to
metaphysics - e.g. Loux - then you will find a discussion of the reality of
tense as one of the metaphysical choices (you could also look at the note I
posted to this list in the early days) and you will also note that the text
discusses a tendency for people who are enduratists (3D) to also be
presentists (who believe in the reality of the present and so tenses). This
is understandable as the present is a clear example of something that is 3D.
As you are aware, you will also probably find in the texts discussions of
McTaggart and series A and B of time (Google has stuff on these).
I agree that "Indexicals [in general] have nothing to do with a 3D/4D
distinction and
everything to do with context." However the specific here and now
'indexicals' do have a lot to do with the motivation for the 3D/4D choices.
Regards,
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: sowa@bestweb.net [mailto:sowa@bestweb.net]
Sent: 25 June 2003 17:19
To: Chris Partridge; Ian Niles; standard-upper-ontology@ieee.org
Subject: RE: SUO: Monolithic ontologies (was ontology as science)
Chris,
Words like here, now, this, that, he, she, it, I, you, etc.,
are indexicals (a term that was coined by C. S. Peirce and
has become the standard terminology in linguistics). They
are context dependent, and they cannot be translated into
conventional notations for logic, which do no support context.
Tenses are also indexicals, since they include implicit
references to one or more context-dependent time points.
>I assume that 'I am here now' in SUMO is translated into 'I am at position
X
>at timepoint Y' as is I was there then' if said a bit later and 'I will be
>there in exactly a minute' if said exactly a minute earlier.
>
>This suggests that a position of unreality of tense is taken - albeit
>without stating this is so (or maybe you can point us to the statement).
>This also seems to me to suggest a 4D bent - at least on this point.
Indexicals have nothing to do with a 3D/4D distinction and
everything to do with context.
John