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Absolute And Relative Terms
The distinction between absolute and relative terms was introduced by Peter Unger in his 1971 paper ''A Defense of Skepticism'' and differentiates between terms that, in their most literal sense, don't admit of degrees (absolute terms) and those that do (relative terms). According to his account, the term "flat", for example, is an absolute term because a surface is either perfectly (or absolutely) flat or isn't flat at all. The terms "bumpy" or "curved", on the other hand, are relative terms because there is no such thing as "absolute bumpiness" or "absolute curvedness" (although in analytic geometry curvedness is quantified). A bumpy surface can always be made bumpier. A truly flat surface, however, can never be made flatter. Colloquially, he acknowledges, we do say things like "surface A is flatter than surface B", but this is just a shorter way of saying "surface A is closer to being flat than surface B". This paraphrasing, however, doesn't work for relative terms. Another imp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Absolute
Absolute may refer to: Companies * Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher * Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK * Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk management * Absolut Vodka, a brand of Swedish vodka Mathematics and science * Absolute (geometry), the quadric at infinity * Absolute (perfumery), a fragrance substance produced by solvent extraction * Absolute magnitude, the brightness of a star * Absolute value, a notion in mathematics, commonly a number's numerical value without regard to its sign *Absolute temperature, a temperature on the thermodynamic temperature scale * Absolute zero, the lower limit of the thermodynamic temperature scale, -273.15 °C * Absoluteness in mathematical logic Music * Absolute (production team), a British music writing and production team * Absolute (record compilation), a brand of compilation albums from EVA Records * ''Absolute'' (Aion album), 1994 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Unger
Peter K. Unger (; born April 25, 1942) is a contemporary American philosopher and professor in the Department of Philosophy at New York University. His main interests lie in the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of mind. Biography Unger attended Swarthmore College at the same time as David Lewis, earning a B.A. in philosophy in 1962, and Oxford University, where he studied under A. J. Ayer and earned a doctorate in 1966. Unger has written a defense of profound philosophical skepticism. In ''Ignorance'' (1975), he argues that nobody knows anything and even that nobody is reasonable or justified in believing anything. In ''Philosophical Relativity'' (1984), he argues that many philosophical questions cannot be definitively answered. In the field of applied ethics, his best-known work is ''Living High and Letting Die'' (1996). In this text, Unger argues that the citizens of first-world countries have a moral duty to make large donations to life-s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Literal
{{disambiguation ...
Literal may refer to: * Interpretation of legal concepts: ** Strict constructionism ** The plain meaning rule (a.k.a. "literal rule") * Literal (mathematical logic), certain logical roles taken by propositions * Literal (computer programming), a fixed value in a program's source code * Titled works: ** ''Literal'' (magazine) ** Three-issue series ''The Literals'', in ''Fables'' comics franchise See also * Literal and figurative language * Literal translation * Literalism (other) * Littoral (other) Littoral zone is an area near the coastline of a body of water. Littoral or Litoral may also refer to: Geography Current entities *Littoral (Benin), a department of Benin * Litoral (Bolivia), a province of Oruro Department, Bolivia *Litoral (Equa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Analytic Geometry
In classical mathematics, analytic geometry, also known as coordinate geometry or Cartesian geometry, is the study of geometry using a coordinate system. This contrasts with synthetic geometry. Analytic geometry is used in physics and engineering, and also in aviation, Aerospace engineering, rocketry, space science, and spaceflight. It is the foundation of most modern fields of geometry, including Algebraic geometry, algebraic, Differential geometry, differential, Discrete geometry, discrete and computational geometry. Usually the Cartesian coordinate system is applied to manipulate equations for planes, straight lines, and circles, often in two and sometimes three dimensions. Geometrically, one studies the Euclidean plane (two dimensions) and Euclidean space. As taught in school books, analytic geometry can be explained more simply: it is concerned with defining and representing geometric shapes in a numerical way and extracting numerical information from shapes' numerical defin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colloquially
Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom normally employed in conversation and other informal context (language use), contexts. Colloquialism is characterized by wide usage of Interjection, interjections and other expressive devices; it makes use of non-specialist terminology, and has a rapidly changing lexicon. It can also be distinguished by its usage of formulations with incomplete logical and syntax (linguistics), syntactic ordering. A specific instance of such language is termed a ''colloquialism''. The most common term used in dictionaries to label such an expression is ''colloquial''. Explanation Colloquialism or general parlance is distinct from public speaking, formal speech or formal writing.colloquial. (n.d.) Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved September 10, 2008 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paraphrasing
A paraphrase () is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words. The term itself is derived via Latin ', . The act of paraphrasing is also called ''paraphrasis''. History Although paraphrases likely abounded in oral traditions, paraphrasing as a specific educational exercise dates back to at least Roman times, when the author Quintilian recommended it for students to develop dexterity in language. In the Middle Ages, this tradition continued, with authors such as Geoffrey of Vinsauf developing schoolroom exercises that included both rhetorical manipulations and paraphrasing as a way of generating poems and speeches. Paraphrasing seems to have dropped off as a specific exercise that students learn, a drop off that largely coincides with the removal of Classical texts from the core of Western education. There is, however, renewed interest in the study of paraphrases, given concerns around plagiarism and original authorship. Analysis A paraphrase typicall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terminology
Terminology is a group of specialized words and respective meanings in a particular field, and also the study of such terms and their use; the latter meaning is also known as terminology science. A ''term'' is a word, compound word, or multi-word expressions that in specific contexts is given specific meanings—these may deviate from the meanings the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. Terminology is a discipline that studies, among other things, the development of such terms and their interrelationships within a specialized domain. Terminology differs from lexicography, as it involves the study of concepts, conceptual systems and their labels (''terms''), whereas lexicography studies words and their meanings. Terminology is a discipline that systematically studies the "labelling or designating of concepts" particular to one or more subject fields or domains of human activity. It does this through the research and analysis of terms in context for the pu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Modified
{{disambiguation ...
Modified may refer to: * ''Modified'' (album), the second full-length album by Save Ferris * Modified racing, or "Modifieds", an American automobile racing genre See also * Modification (other) * Modifier (other) Modifier may refer to: * Grammatical modifier, a word that modifies the meaning of another word or limits its meaning ** Compound modifier, two or more words that modify a noun ** Dangling modifier, a word or phrase that modifies a clause in an am ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platonic Idealism
Platonic realism is the philosophical position that universals or abstract objects exist objectively and outside of human minds. It is named after the Greek philosopher Plato who applied realism to such universals, which he considered ideal forms. This stance is ambiguously also called Platonic idealism but should not be confused with idealism as presented by philosophers such as George Berkeley: as Platonic abstractions are not spatial, temporal, or mental, they are not compatible with the later idealism's emphasis on mental existence. Plato's Forms include numbers and geometrical figures, making them a theory of mathematical realism; they also include the Form of the Good, making them in addition a theory of ethical realism. Plato expounded his own articulation of realism regarding the existence of universals in his dialogue '' The Republic'' and elsewhere, notably in the ''Phaedo'', the '' Phaedrus'', the ''Meno'' and the ''Parmenides''. Universals In Platonic realism, univ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Interpretation
Interpretation may refer to: Culture * Aesthetic interpretation, an explanation of the meaning of a work of art * Allegorical interpretation, an approach that assumes a text should not be interpreted literally * Dramatic Interpretation, an event in speech and forensics competitions in which participants perform excerpts from plays * Heritage interpretation, communication about the nature and purpose of historical, natural, or cultural phenomena * Interpretation (music), the process of a performer deciding how to perform music that has been previously composed * Language interpretation, the facilitation of dialogue between parties using different languages * Literary theory, methods for interpreting literature, including historicism, feminism, structuralism, deconstruction * Oral interpretation, a dramatic art Law * Authentic interpretation, the official interpretation of a statute issued by the statute's legislator * Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretations, part o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Optical Phenomenon
Optical phenomena are any observable events that result from the interaction of light and matter. All optical phenomena coincide with quantum phenomena. Common optical phenomena are often due to the interaction of light from the sun or moon with the atmosphere, clouds, water, dust, and other particulates. One common example is the rainbow, when light from the sun is reflected and refracted by water droplets. Some phenomena, such as the green ray, are so rare they are sometimes thought to be mythical. Others, such as Fata Morganas, are commonplace in favored locations. Other phenomena are simply interesting aspects of optics, or optical effects. For instance, the colors generated by a prism are often shown in classrooms. List Optical phenomena include those arising from the optical properties of the atmosphere; the rest of nature (other phenomena); of objects, whether natural or human-made (optical effects); and of our eyes (Entoptic phenomena). Also listed here are unexpla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
