Definition / description
We want to work on three levels of defining an object, and develop terminology that keeps them distinct - a "real" object -- something concrete and actual and physical in the world (referent)
- a "mental" object - an image or word or idea in the mind (concept)
- a "representational" or "symbolic" object defined in some medium like a computer or a map or a piece of paper (symbol)
Wikipedia lists a series of definitions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object
Examples: - an item (word, term) in a list can be an "object" -- that would be a symbolic (fix, make consistent)
- the representation of that item in a computer would be (?)
- the "actual object in the real world that this term refers to" would be a concrete object
This applies to many areas and disciplines, including
- philosophy
- computing
- mathematics
- physics
Don't use the word "subject" or "subjective". The word "real" may also be misleading, because the symbolic representation in a medium (computer, piece of paper) has an actual concrete existence. This series of definition-levels is inherent in the concept of model.
The "meaning triangle" expresses this idea and Sowa cites it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_of_reference
- Symbol
- Thought or reference ("concept")
- Referent
Do these terms point to the same "three levels"
real, representational, mental
Is not a dimension
Tue, Apr 27, 2021
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