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Finding a definition of abstract: one of the most difficult questions - I disagree | 202 comments | Create New Account
Comments belong to whoever posts them. Please notify us of inappropriate comments.
A Proposed Response to the USTPO's Topic 1 Question on Functional Language ~pj
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, January 31 2013 @ 07:14 PM EST
I kind of realise that. So the example is useful for that reason. Maybe a
statement resuming that situation would help guide the reader:

A definition of abstract is difficult, but, as the following example clearly
demonstrates, the subject matter analysis cannot be precluded by an explicit
algorithmic claim.

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

Finding a definition of abstract: one of the most difficult questions - I disagree
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, January 31 2013 @ 09:23 PM EST

It does not have physical form, ergo, it's abstract!

See? The definition is rather simple.

    Math does not have physical form = abstract
    Language does not have physical form = abstract
    Software does not have physical form = abstract
Only when one rejects the basic definition does it then become exceedingly difficult. Not because the definition is wrong - but because one has to suspend logic in order to somehow paint something as being more then abstract when it truly has no physical form.

The problem with that:

    Whatever words are used to create the illusion that the abstract has physical form can be equally used on all forms of abstract concepts including math and language.
To somehow "prove" that one form of abstract thought is more then just abstract yet use the same words to prove another form is not - good luck!

RAS

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

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