Hi Lawrence:
You wrote:
I >think I hear you saying that a continuum is different to a 'binary'. I
see a
>continuum as being a line (rational) between two polar opposites along
>which lie positions which are relative to both poles. Thus any two
>positions along a continuum are necessarily binary (specially when
>looking at two positions). If this analysis of the notion of continuum is
>reasonable, then I ask, "is there another word which symbolises an array
>of possibilities or contingencies?" Does the word 'spectrum' do it for
>anyone? Is it an 'Isomorph
I guess I'd say that a continuum is not like a binary. A binary represents
an on/off switch. The original use of it was in linguistics where
phonemes, for example, created binaries. Thus you could say "big" or "pig"
in which an aspirated phoneme is opposed to a voiced phoneme. You couldn't
really have something between because that something would not signify. If
you said something between "b" and "p" the listener would ask you to
repeat. If you pick two points on a contiuum they are not necessarily
binaries since they are not the opposites of each other. (Say moderately
slow and moderately fast on a continuum from slow to fast).
Best,
Lennard J. Davis
Professor and Graduate Director
Department of English
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY 13902
607-777-2770 Fax: 607-777-2408
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