Re: Form

[John M <***>]

Tim,
Here we go again with the loaded old old words, meaning dozens of terms.
Shouldn't we distinguish between "form" and "format", the first cut to
boundaries in some measurable shape (sorry for using a synonym) the other
referring to a freer agglomeration-order, ideational, organizational, maybe
just geometrical as well. Topology has its problems with 'form'. Even in the
3+D it has the connotations of a geometrical restriction.- I like Steve's
post.
Would you find this 'format' more expressive?
John M
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Gwinn" <***>
To: <***>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: Form


> Steve,
>
> 'Form' is a very multi-faceted word...in much the same way as the Greek
word
> 'logos'. I tend to think of 'form' - in the usages you originally quoted -
> as roughly synonymous with 'arrangement' or 'configuration'. The quote
from
> Spencer-Brown seems to me to refer to the arrangement or configuration as
it
> arises from drawing a distinction (e.g., drawing a circle on a plane).
> Without drawing that distinction, there exists no form (i.e., no
arrangement
> or configuration), and so an absence of anything,  thus "To experience the
> world clearly, we must abandon....form to void".
>
> Regards,
> Tim
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ROSEN Forum [mailto:*** Behalf Of Steve
> > Johnson
> > Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 12:18 PM
> > To: ***
> > Subject: Form
> >
> >
> > Judith,
> >
> > Thanks, that is helpful. I suppose "form" the way
> > Howard used it is a primary notion akin to
> > "organization" in the Rosennean sense, perhaps not
> > amenable to definition.
> >
> > Form is obviously a common word but when used as a
> > known 99% of the time it is a synonom to the word
> > "type" or "kind". For example in the two sentences
> > below (not related to this discussion) "form" and
> > "type" are interchangeable.
> >
> > "I believe that we'd have to wait for Topos tools in
> > this field, and especially some form of generalization
> > of Hopf Algebras"
> >
> > "One can accuse him of applying his own form of
> > reductionism"
> >
> >
> > On the other hand it is very rare for the word "form"
> > to be used as an independent subject as in Howard's
> > email: "Only form gives meaning".
> >
> > >From now on I'll assume that when used as a free
> > standing noun it referes to "organization" in some
> > sense.
> >