Re: [xmca] Progress: Reality or Illusion?

[Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>]

Any two things yes, but one must abstract from the "things" 
to carry out the comparison.
EG I can say that red has a higher frequency of EM radiation 
than green, or I might say that in my survey more people 
selected red as their favourite colour than did green. But 
in what practical sense can I say that red is more than green?

Andy

Bruce Robinson wrote:
> "Only quantities can be compared." Really?? Can't one compare any two 
> things?
>
> Bruce
>
> Andy Blunden wrote:
> > Steve Gabosch wrote:
> > > Hi Andy,
> > > Let me see if I am grasping your point.
> > > Let me begin by agreeing with what I see as your premise.  I agree 
> > > that two things can only be compared when compared to a relevant third.
> > No, that is not what I am saying, Steve. Only quantities can be 
> > compared. You can't compare, for example, red and green, and ask 
> > which is more. So before a quantitative comparison is to be made one 
> > must have settle the appropriate means of quantification and the 
> > practical means of comparison. The resulting claim then is 
> > meaningful: "Cats are heavier than mice."
> >
> > Andy
> >
> > __________________________________________
> > _____
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> > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
Joint Editor MCA: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hmca20/18/1
Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857


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