An enquiry concerning the principles of natural knowledgeWhitehead, Alfred North
Philosophy
An enquiry concerning the principles of natural knowledge
Whitehead, Alfred North
Knowledge, Theory of; Science -- Philosophy; Space and time
Hence any two abstractive classes which satisfy the condition
cover each other. Hence every class which satisfies the
condition is covered by every other class which satisfies
the same condition . That is to say, every such class is a
-prime. Analogously, it is a -antiprime.
Similarly the -antiprimes are the -primes and
-antiprimes.
A formative condition will be called 'regular for primes'
when (i) there are -primes and (ii) the set of abstractive
classes -equal to any one assigned -prime is identical
with the complete set of -primes; and will be
called 'regular for antiprimes' when (i) there are -antiprimes
and (ii) the set of abstractive classes -equal to any one assigned
-antiprime is identical with the complete set of
-antiprimes. Thus if be a formative condition
regular for primes, the set of -primes is the same as the set
of abstractive classes -equal to -primes; and if
be a formative condition regular for antiprimes, the set of
-antiprimes is the same as the set of abstractive classes
-equal to -antiprimes.
31.4 Errors arise unless we remember the existence of some
exceptional abstractive classes. Since we assume that each event has a
definite demarcation we know that the laws of nature ordinarily assumed
in science will issue in ascribing to each event a definite boundary
which will be a spatial surface prolonged into three dimensions by
reason of its time-extension. Thus the possibilities of the spatial
contact of surfaces are reproduced in the three-dimensional boundaries
of events. Abstractive classes exist whose converging ends converge to
elements [instantaneous points, or routes, or etc.] on the surface of
one of the members of the class. In such a case, as we pass down the
abstractive class towards its converging end, after some definite member
of the class the remaining members, all extended over by ,
have some form of internal contact with the boundary of . The
closest form of such contact is to be injoined in . But there will
also be more abstract types of point-contact or of line-contact which we
have not defined here, but know about from their occurrence in geometry.
If we merely exclude such cases without explicit definition, we are
really appealing to fundamental relations and properties which have not
been explicitly recognised. We must use definitions based solely upon
those properties of the relation which have been made explicit. We
cannot explicitly take account of point-contact till points have been
defined.
32. Abstractive Elements. 32.1 A
'finite abstractive element deduced from the formative condition
' is the set of events which are members of -primes,
where is a formative condition regular for primes. The
element is said to be 'deduced' from its formative condition .
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