What was the Problem LO26935

From: syntagm (syntagm@icon.co.za)
Date: 07/03/01


Replying to LO26893 --

What is the problem?: The sentence <given three apples and the price of
pears is 50 cents each> is not meaningful in a generally accepted kind of
way, therfore:

 1. given that the sentence <solve the problem> is both well formed and
well intentioned
 2. the problem becomes one of finding a context within which <given
three apples and the price of pears is 50 cents each> can be rendered
meaningful
 3. more than one such a context may exist ranging from the simple and
obvious to the complex and obtuse
 4. within the rules for creating well formed English sentences the
following simple solution is offered: <the given price of three apples and
pears is 50 cents each>.
 5. What then was/is the problem: Using Occam's razor assign meaning to
<given three apples and the price of pears is 50 cents each>

The transformation from <given three apples and the price of pears is 50
cents each> to <the given price of three apples and pears is 50 cents
each> was a one-to-one mapping with no limiting reagents. A one-to-many
mapping will only become possible if and when a more complex contect is
created or imagined for the first sentence. The question is why did At
(not generally the court jester) pose the question <What is the problem>
in the first place.Here is one possible answer:

<given all the posts on this LO - what is the problem>

For some time now I have been trying to arrange the posts into a
structurally meaningful sentence. One document I have is now some 1500
pages long. I recently discovered a word (or concept) which ought to have
been used often but seemingly does not occur in our collective vocabulary
at all. Now I wonder: is it a limiting reagent, a constraint, or an
impairement, ...........are there others?

linguistically yours
Chris Klopper

-- 

"syntagm" <syntagm@icon.co.za>

Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <Richard@Karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>


"Learning-org" and the format of our message identifiers (LO1234, etc.) are trademarks of Richard Karash.