Journal Entries
Douglas Adams, 1952-2001
Posted May 16, 2001
My towel is at half-mast:
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Latest reply: May 16, 2001
42, part 2
Posted Apr 18, 2001
In the middle of a discussion this morning (on "persons" and "relationships", as it happens), it occurred to me that I should have explained here why I distinguished in my first entry between "persons" and "people". Although to me the distinction is self-evident, it might not be to everyone.
I tend to think of "person" as referring to any sentient being, apart from considerations of which species it wears. So in my usage, any genuine locus of intelligences, emotions, intentions, and such qualities, in whatever proportion and range or limitation of function, I call a "person". I imagine (I choose that word deliberately) that there are individual members of other species than humans -- not necessarily on earth, but non-terran species -- to say, "cogito ergo sum". And to me they would be "persons".
"People" I think of as being weighted by custom for use as a collective term for human persons.
I know it's arbitrary, but I find it useful when I want to focus my attention on the elements of personhood rather than allowing my attention to be diffused onto elements of species or culture.
-- Lord Groundhog
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Latest reply: Apr 18, 2001
the Universe, part 2
Posted Apr 18, 2001
In the middle of a discussion this morning (on "persons" and "relationships", as it happens), it occurred to me that I should have explained here why I distinguished in my first entry between "persons" and "people". Although to me the distinction is self-evident, it might not be to everyone.
I tend to think of "person" as referring to any sentient being, apart from considerations of which species it wears. So in my usage, any genuine locus of intelligences, emotions, intentions, and such qualities, in whatever proportion and range or limitation of function, I call a "person". I imagine (I choose that word deliberately) that there are individual members of other species than humans -- not necessarily on earth, but non-terran species -- to say, "cogito ergo sum". And to me they would be "persons".
"People" I think of as being weighted by custom for use as a collective term for human persons.
I know it's arbitrary, but I find it useful when I want to focus my attention on the elements of personhood rather than allowing my attention to be diffused onto elements of species or culture.
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Apr 18, 2001
The Universe?
Posted Apr 15, 2001
I've spent years wondering what is the most fundamental distinction I can make about what I think of the Universe. Here it is.
IMO, either persons (not "people") are afterthoughts and therefore relationships are window-dressing, or persons and therefore relationships are right at the heart of the nature of things. My working hypothesis at the moment? I suspect there are ways of saying it that would be better, but the one that appeals to me right now, because it allows me to layer in more of what I think I mean, and to explore more avenues of what I might or might not mean, is this:
"In the beginning was the Relationship, and the Relationship was face to face with God, and the Relationship was God. The Relationship was face to face with God in the beginning."
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Latest reply: Apr 15, 2001
Lord Groundhog
Researcher U170281
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