Re: Is there an optimal sequence for language acquisition?

>>>>> "leuwarden" == leuwarden <leuwarden@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

>> But in Taoism, the basic theory is that void generates a
>> whole, which diverges into Yin and Yang. These then divide
>> into 4 elements, which further divide into 8 elements. It's
>> binary tree hierarchy. A very abstract theory -- so abstract
>> that you can apply it to "explain" or understand so many
>> things.

leuwarden> In Europe this terminology became a fashion maybe in
leuwarden> the 60s.

Fashion? Taking something 5000 years old as fashion?



>> E.g. the Yin-Yang pair can map to positive vs. negative, or
>> magnetic north pole vs. south, or male vs. female, or sky
>> vs. ground, etc. Down to the 4-element level, you can map them
>> to the four seasons, the four directions (N,E,W,S), etc.
>>
>> Another complementary system uses 5 abstract concepts that
>> generates one another, and also inhibits one another. If you
>> draw all these generation and inhibition relationships between
>> 5 points representing these 5 concepts, you get a pentagon and
>> a 5-star. For convenience, these 5 abstract concepts are
>> named: metal/gold, wood, water, fire, earth/soil.

leuwarden> But this sounds like a philosophy. I cannot imagine a
leuwarden> philosophy that is also a tradition and hence would get
leuwarden> stable definitions of abstract terms ???

Why not?


leuwarden> Do you think that this system of terms would be
leuwarden> accessible to the minds of uneducated people? people
leuwarden> living in little villages?

Sure! Everybodoy knows it. Yin vs. Yang. The two are opposite to
each other. But you can't have Yin without Yang. They have to exist
together. Maintaining the balance is important. These concepts are
deeply rooted in our cultures.



>> I've never heard of the Chinese inventing lenses, let a lone
>> telescopes. There is a long history of astronomy (and
>> astrology), though, due to the need to make an accurate
>> calendar.

leuwarden> Yes. Now I remember. Indeed, and doesn't this show that
leuwarden> the Chinese also tried to give some meaning to things
leuwarden> out there, if the stars were seen as signs?

Yeah. The 5 planets in the solar system (excluding Neptune, Uranus
and Pluto) are known the the Chinese for millennia. And they're named
after the 5 abstract elements: gold/metal, wood, water/liquid, fire,
soil/earth.



leuwarden> And when they look, don't they wonder what there is out
leuwarden> there?
>> Just shiny things hanging in the sky, which rotates around the
>> earth. Why must that be some "thing"? Can't it be just an
>> illusion? What is reality? How can you define it?

leuwarden> there is no definition, but you cannot call it an
leuwarden> illusion seeing it keeps everyone so busy trying to
leuwarden> take hold of it.

Who is busy trying to take hold of it?



--
Lee Sau Dan 李守敦 ~{@nJX6X~}

E-mail: danlee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Home page: http://www.informatik.uni-freiburg.de/~danlee
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