Group: alt.philosophy · Group Profile
Author: tgtg Date: Aug 14, 2008 11:35
On Aug 14, 2:16Â pm, ta nc.rr.com> wrote:> On Aug 14, 2:06Â pm, tg earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
>>> On Aug 14, 1:53Â pm, ta nc.rr.com> wrote:>
>>> Yesterday I stumbled upon three dogs while walking through my
>>> neighborhood. The dogs were generally unruly -- barking incessantly,
>>> pulling on their leashes, and snarling at other passer-by dogs.
>
>>> Now I have interacted with each of these dogs individually on numerous
>>> occasions, and have never witnessed this behavior. It was obvious that
>>> the presence of each other created a "group chemistry" that did not
>>> exist in isolation.
>
>>> Humans, no doubt, are the same.
>
>>> The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
>
>> Or is it less?
>
>> -tg
>
> Different?
Or not.
The fallacy of composition does not *preclude* the whole having the
same characteristics as the parts.
Question: If the dogs as a group were quiet, would you remark on
it?
Some of the usual suspects would argue that there is no group of dogs,
but only individual dogs. Would this argument be stronger when the
dogs are quiet (as they are individually) but less strong in the case
you observed?
-tg
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