Logical Graphs • First Impressions 12
•
https://inquiryintoinquiry.com/2024/09/10/logical-graphs-first-impressions-…
Primary Algebra as Pattern Calculus —
Experience teaches that complex objects are best approached in a
gradual, laminar, modular fashion, one step, one layer, one piece
at a time, especially when that complexity is irreducible, when all
our articulations and all our representations will be cloven at joints
disjoint from the structure of the object itself, with some assembly
required in the synthetic integrity of the intuition.
That's one good reason for spending so much time on the first half of
zeroth order logic, instanced here by the primary arithmetic, a level
of formal structure Peirce verged on intuiting at numerous points and
times in his work on logical graphs but Spencer Brown named and brought
more completely to life.
Another reason for lingering a while longer in these primitive forests
is that an acquaintance with “bare trees”, those unadorned with literal
or numerical labels, will provide a basis for understanding what's really
at issue in oft‑debated questions about the “ontological status of variables”.
It is probably best to illustrate the theme in the setting of a concrete case.
To do that let's look again at the previous example of reductive evaluation
taking place in the primary arithmetic.
Primary Arithmetic Reduction Example
•
https://inquiryintoinquiry.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/logical-graph-semiot…
After we've seen a few sign-transformations of roughly that shape we'll
most likely notice it doesn't really matter what other branches are rooted
next to the lone edge off to the side — the end result will always be the same.
Eventually it will occur to us to summarize the results of many such observations
by introducing a label or variable to signify any shape of branch whatever, writing
something like the following.
Pattern Calculus Example
•
https://inquiryintoinquiry.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/logical-graph-patter…
Observations like that, made about an arithmetic of any variety and
germinated by their summarizations, are the root of all algebra.
Resources —
Logical Graphs
•
https://oeis.org/wiki/Logical_Graphs
Survey of Animated Logical Graphs
•
https://inquiryintoinquiry.com/2024/03/18/survey-of-animated-logical-graphs…
Regards,
Jon
cc:
https://www.academia.edu/community/lQ9QO6
cc:
https://mathstodon.xyz/@Inquiry/113051725984818777