Re: Comments on ioctl (was: Re: big issue (2001-09-28#13))

Aaron Swartz wrote:

> On Monday, October 8, 2001, at 08:02  AM, Martyn Horner wrote:
> 
>> Maybe I missed something in the argument but does `denotation' 
>> distinguish between numerals (literals) denoting numbers and numerals 
>> (literals) denoting, say, dates. So the literal "20001225" has, at 
>> least, two denotations? Does this invalidate this definition? Do you 
>> mean `unique denotation'? If you don't, how does this definition stay 
>> valid?
> 
> 
> It's my belief that the literal "20001225" denotes itself, and 
> properties like :creationDate are really shorthand for 
> :creationDateStringInXXXForm .
> 

Perhaps so. But on the way to its real `meaning', it's futile to pretend 
that the string "20001225" denotes the number `twenty million, one 
thousand, two hundred and twenty-five' because it doesn't. Which is, I 
think, the test of denotation behind Pat's definition.

And I think, just `denoting itself' isn't really what he meant either.



-- 
Martyn Horner <martyn.horner@profium.com>
Profium, Les Espaces de Sophia,
Immeuble Delta, B.P. 037, F-06901 Sophia-Antipolis, France
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Received on Monday, 8 October 2001 09:31:50 UTC