In her book Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, Ayn Rand wrote:

"The element of similarity is crucially involved in the formation
of every concept; similarity, in this context, is the relationship
between two or more existents which possess the same
characteristic(s), but in different measure or degree." (P. 12)

How do you know similarity when you see it? Is similarity a percept
corresponding to an existent? Is the relationship real or mental? Is
similarity given in reality or given by the perceiver?

The simplest example of similarity I know of is that of two square
figures, of different sizes, drawn on paper. The length and width of
one square is 2 inches, the length and width of the other square is 3
inches. From the fact that they are both squares but varying in size
we declare that the squares are similar, but not identical.

This is important because, in Objectivist concept-formation, the
measurements involved in the similarity are abstracted out, such that
they are always called 'square' no matter what size of square is
involved. What is retained is the basic (or better, general) fact of
squareness (four sides of equal length, etc.), omitted are the exact
lengths involved in any particular square.

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:36:03 -0700, Malrassic Park hotmail.com> wrote:

"Malrassic Park" hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9638p31sad5kfmq6vlr89525g2mgihf55s@4ax.com...

One way for handling a bunch of fictions is
apply more fiction.

On Jan 21, 12:36 pm, Malrassic Park hotmail.com> wrote:

Oh good an easy one, take the relational concept time, the concept
that you dont want to talk about.

You look as a slug crawling (one observed event) along the ground and
you compare the duration of that event with the earth orbiting the sun
(the other similar observed event).

The slug will move say the distance of one of your feet, and the earth
has travelled roughly 359,040,000 of your feets from the moment the
slug starts at your heel and finishes at your toes.

And that is all time means Melon.

On Jan 21, 12:36 pm, Malrassic Park hotmail.com> wrote:

Clarification

Oh good an easy one, take the relational concept time, the concept
that you dont want to talk about.

You look as a slug crawling (one observed event) along the ground and
you compare the duration of that event with the earth orbiting the
sun
(the other similar observed event).

"Michael Gordge" xtra.co.nz> wrote in message
news:381d2611-b719-4a82-80d6-83b915ae47c3@d70g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
On Jan 21, 12:36 pm, Malrassic Park hotmail.com> wrote:

Clarification

Oh good an easy one, take the relational concept time, the concept
that you dont want to talk about.

You look as a slug crawling (one observed event) along the ground and
you compare the duration of that event with the earth orbiting the
sun
(the other similar observed event).

On Jan 21, 7:17 pm, "Tim" qwerty.com> wrote:

Not according to me you dumb dopey commie simpleton cunt, according to
reality.

There's no words in reality just like there's no letters, no numbers,
no ounces, no inches, no yards, no miles, no seconds, no minutes, no
hours, but the sun comes up and goez down, you dumb cunt.

Now fuck off.

MG

WOW! This is REALLY profound!

Such insight!

That Rand is a really great thinker!

A genius!

Not anyone would have thought of writing something like that!

Bret Cahill

On Jan 21, 7:17 pm, "Tim" qwerty.com> wrote:

Hey dopey, go to a pre-school (3-5 year olds) and ask the children
there why human beings shoot and catch and eat, and or place into
cages for their bizarre and sickening amusement, animals reptiles bugs
slugs fish and birds, ask the children also why do some animals kill
and eat other animals.

They'll tell you its because in reality there are no words and without
words animals cant reason.

They'll tell you that words are an invention of and are totally
utterly dependent upon man's mind, which enable him to reason with
other humans, although you're not very good at reason and therefore
your life is a "fucking accident" of your parents.

Man shoots or poison rats and mice because he cant reason with them,
why? because there are no words in reality, there's only matter and
events which require matter.

Words cant kill people Timmmmm, why? because only matter can do that,
words are not matter Timmmm, they are a tool of man's cognition.