[AntonioLao]

Abstraction is fundamentally mathematical. Failure to abstract physical objects is a lack of mathematical knowledge not a lack of understanding of the objective reality which is independent of all possible mathematical abstractions.

However, mathematical abstractions could become the concrete means or the practical tools for building organized intelligent civilizations, in a lesser extent, organized colonies of complex adaptive systems as prolonging the survival of some intelligent species. These can be witnessed by the eternal presence of three Egyptian pyramids at Giza’s plateau see http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/pyramid.html . They don’t resemble any lasting human features but symmetrical geometric solid figures. Nevertheless, human resemblances like the Sphinx (and the other wonders of the ancient world did not survive the natural weathering or certain wars and calamities) had shown shocking obvious deteriorations through the aging sand of time. This is the embarrassing broken nose. This is not the result of a blow from a vigorously trained muscular boxer in a fight for life or for a prize or for fame and fortune within the limited confine of the rectangular ring, or square circle, encourages by the bloodthirsty shouts and boos of the gathered crowd. Who probably have spent their last, hard earned sweaty coins for a chance and a privilege to watch the occasional spectacle as a planned event to look forward to? This could be what is expected of all sports’ events: somebody loses somebody wins. Whether be it money or pride or both but hopefully the chance for a rematch and life goes on.

Human beings are not the only creatures on earth given the divine or supernatural gift capable of mathematical abstraction. For example, the honey bees stop evolving (even before the age of the dinosaurs as discovered by fossilized remains see http://www3.telus.net/conrad/beevolve.htm) as soon as they acquired the mathematical ability of building hexagonal honeycombs and the effectiveness of one ruling queen for the survival of the hive. On the other hand, basing on limited subjective observations, mathematical abstraction seems to start when the process of physical growth stops (the size of the brain in proportion to the size of the body). In other words, when physical evolution stops mental evolution starts. In a more restrictive sense, this seems to accord with Piaget’s theory of cognitive developments (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensorimotor). Therefore, for some humans to acquire the ability of making mathematical abstractions is to stop growing physically and to start exercising the mental faculty, the sooner, the better. It then goes to show that the extinct dinosaurs were the dumbest creatures ever lived while the same thing cannot be said of the humpback whales (see http://www.nature.ca/NOTEBOOKS/ENGLISH/humpwale.htm) to which their mathematical abstraction of vocalizing songs and musical communication (see http://www.abc.net.au/oceans/whale/song.htm), if any mathematical patterns exist, still cannot prevent them from becoming extinct in the future due to aggression from human species. The same can be said for human beings. Who will then rule the earth?

[Guille]

Antonio,

So you agree that we coudls ay that abstraction is superficual, and doesn't grasp the core (significance) of the objects of cognition?

[mkirkpatrick]

Antonio,Have we understood the lesson of the bee!I would think not!What then is our fate,will we be made extinct by our own hand?More than likely we
will.We want more and give less,that produces an uneven effect which auto
matically seeks to right itself,regardless of the cost?


kind regards michael.

[AntonioLao]

Originally Posted by GUILLE So you agree that we coudls ay that abstraction is superficual, and doesn't grasp the core (significance) of the objects of cognition?

Abstraction is superficial if and only if it is connected to all bodily senses while complete and total abstraction is all mental. A mind devoid of physical body can attain 100% abstraction.

[Guille]

Originally Posted by AntonioLao Abstraction is superficial if and only if it is connected to all bodily senses while complete and total abstraction is all mental. A mind devoid of physical body can attain 100% abstraction.

Yes, I know abstraction is purelly mental, I meant superficial in the sense that it can onl explain the surroundings of the meaning of things, not the core, not the reality...

[AntonioLao]

Originally Posted by GUILLE not the reality

Do you mean objective reality or subjective reality? All what I said might be objectively superficial to someone else but they are not superficial for me subjectively. Maybe it is the lack of certain mathematical abstraction on my part that makes some of my posts superficial.