Topic: Complex Systems

Guitar-Painting
Brick-House
Marble-Sculpture

Galaxy-Star
Star-Planet
Earth-Moon

Mother-Child
Lawyer-Client
Confessor-Penitent

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

1.- Lawyer-Client:-) A Patient is a Client of a Doctor. ('Doctor' is used here to mean 'physician.') A Doctor is compared to a Confessor because he keeps secret his knowledge about the patient's disease. But a Penitent is not a client of a confessor. I do not see what's Mother-Child doing here as a sample except create confusion. Well, a mother takes patient care of her child, but she does it gratuitously. In this game, the attribute is of relationship .

2.- Prayer-Salvation:-) What is Salvation? The concept of Luck is not so unclear, but still, who can demonstrate the connection of Stars with luck ? On the other hand, there is a relation between Work and Reward and between Lottery and Prize. The common attribute in this analogy game is abstruseness.

Energy-Quanta
Alphabet-Letters
Electricity-Electrons

2.- Literature-Words

Pointillism-Colored dots
Protein-Aminoacids
Molecules-Atoms

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

1.- Electricity-Electrons:-) There are two classes of radiations: electromagnetic and particulate. To the latter class belong the alpha and beta particles, which are emitted by the nuclei of radioactive atoms.
Electromagnetic radiations are forms of energy whose units (quantum, quanta) are called 'photons.' To this class belong, for example: light, which receives that name because we can see it (our retina is stimulated by it); radio waves, which can be detected by radio receivers ('radios'); infrared rays, which make us feel hot as soon as we are exposed to the sun. Therefore, in the present game, the 'radiation' is electromagnetic, since it is followed by 'photons.' The choice of sample is based on the fact that electricity is made of electrons. Letters make the alphabet, but they are manmade. The attribute here is of natural composition.

2.- Pointillism-Colored dots:-) Pointillism, a genre of painting that was introduced when impressionism was in vogue, is an art, as is literature . The attribute in this analogy game is of class: arts. .

Disorder-Order
Painting materials-Painting
Lawlessness-Law

2.- Words-Meaning

Signs-Interpretation
Symbols-Signification
Signals-Response

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

1.- Painting materials-Painting:-) A painting is made of the materials required for its creation. Creation is the result of giving the chaotic materials a form that makes sense. For disorder to exist there has to have been order, at least in the mind of the observer. Lawlessness may be primary, or secondary after there had been law. Besides, one can see a creation, while the law can only be imposed.
This analogy game is complex, as it deals with the concrete (things) and with the abstract (ideas). In turn, the abstract is subdivided and scrutinized. In this game, the attribute is by simile: painting materials are like chaos, and a painting is like creation.
Until now we have been dealing with analogies by attribute and we have seen that there are many types of attributes. In this game, simile has been introduced as another criterion for analogical thinking.

2.- Symbols-Signification:-) Words are symbols. The word 'dog,' for example, stands for an animal with given characteristics. It can be used metaphorically with a derogatory intention. Instead of the word, a drawing of any variety of dogs may be employed as their symbol. Thus, the signification of a picture is analogous to the denotation of a word.
Signs are indications. They may be artificial or natural . A symbol (drawing) of a big dog serves as a warning artificial sign. Symbols of a man or a woman are common as signs in lavatories. On the other hand, fever is a natural sign of disease. The changing pitch of a whistle is a natural sign of a fast traveling locomotive.
A sign has to be interpreted, while a symbol has a meaning by itself. White, for instance, is a symbol of purity. while an enemy waving a white flag may be giving a sign of surrender.
Signals serve to give orders; they are followed by an action in response. A race starts when an audible sign is given.
In this game, the attribute is of function: symbols, such as words, function as conveyors of meaning.

Philosophy-Abstraction
Physiology-Function
Biology-Life

14.- Science-Experiment

Classification-Comparison
Philosophy-Meditation
Literature-Words

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

13.- Philosophy-Abstraction:-) Biology is a branch of science. Physiology is a branch of biology. On the other hand, philosophy stands by itself, as does science. Science deals with facts; philosophy interprets existential abstractions such as wisdom, happiness, goodness, and truth. It is generally believed that philosophy deals with how to acquire wisdom; actually it endeavors first to define wisdom. There are as many philosophical schools as there are definitions of wisdom, which is supposed to bring happiness or at least the acceptance of unhappiness. It is also supposed to define the good and the true (i.e., of right and wrong).
Science and philosophy were originally one; they parted ways as experiments were devised to test hypotheses. Philosophy constitutes the remnant of old schools of thought which looked for answers about the material (concrete) and the nonmaterial (abstract) aspects of the universe and of man, the latter considered as the main constituent of the former and actually its sine qua non. As the concrete components were being understood, philosophy was losing scope until finally it encompassed only the abstract aspects.
Consider, however, that the Ph.D degree means 'doctor in philosophy.' The latter word is in this case equivalent to 'knowledge.' The former word derives from the Latin root for 'teacher.' Thus, a Ph.D means that the holder of such honor is highly qualified to impart knowledge. In Arabic, the same word is applied for 'wise' and for 'physician,' who used to be considered as the summum of wisdom.
The almost unbelievable scientific advances of the 20th century have given rise to a NEW PHILOSOPHY for the coming century. The New Philosophy attempts to address this revolutionary situation, by stating that only realities which can not be demonstrated scientifically (by experiment) are the subject of philosophy, with language as its most relevant subject, being basic for advanced thinking. Still, science can and will support basic tenets of the NEW PHILOSOPHY , this aspect being one of the latter's fundaments.
In this game, the attribute is of being basic branches of knowledge (as distinct from theology, which stands alone in the three fundamental areas of human interest).

2.- Philosophy-Meditation:-) Experiments are the diamantine means to obtain factual knowledge. By the same token -- i.e, analogically -- meditation, --that is, deep thinking -- is the means to arrive at conclusions on matters which are not submissive to reproducible experimentation.
Words, on the other hand, constitute an integral part of literature, not just a tool or a means. Comparison is employed to classify, yet classification is merely the starting step of science. The attribute in this analogy game is of being basic tools for the advancement of two out of the three branches of epistemology.

Field glasses-Field
Psychoanalysis-Analizand
Telescope-Stars

16.- Alexander Magnum-Empire

A.Lincoln-Gettysburg Adress
New York-Statue
Conqueror-Conquest

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

15.- Field glasses-Field:-) A microscope is employed to examine all kinds of microscopical specimens; with field glasses on can look at all kinds of visual fields. Psychoanalysis is not a physical instrument and it deals with mental phenomena. Telescopes are limited to the observation of heavenly bodies and phenomena. In this game, the attribute is of class and function.

16.- New York-Statue:-) New York is a specific city, while 'statue' is a concept. This pair, in this regard, is analogous to the model, while the other pairs are either concrete or abstract..
This game is tricky, since the attribute of being either concrete or abstract is introduced as a reason for choosing a sample.

Music-Listener
Movie-Moviegoer
T.V.-T.V. Watcher

No 20.- Crime-Punishment

Transgression-Fine
Sin-Hell
Cause-Effect

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

No.-19 :-) Movie - Moviegoer. A movie has a plot, a story, like a novel. Music doesn't, T.V. is an appliance. In this game, the attribute is of relationship.

No.-20 :-) Transgression - Fine. This pair has a relationship analogous to that of the model. Sin-Hell are not adequate, since sin is not clearly definable, and the existence of hell is still disputed. Every cause has an effect, and vice versa, yet not all crime is punished, and punishment is sometimes applied to innocents.

Empathy-Apathy
Hapiness-Sadness
Enthusiasm-Indifference

No 22.- Good-Bad

Normal-Abnormal
Godly-Evil
Helpful-Damaging

CHOICE AND EXPLANATION

No.-21:-) Happiness-Sadness. In this game, the analogy is by the attribute of opposite emotions. No.-22:-) Helpful-Damaging. The subject in this case is axiological, i.e.,dealing with value judgements. Something that is helpful is good, has a value. The opposite --damaging-- is bad: it has a negative axiological qualification. Godly-Evil are abstruse abstractions, which can be used in a metaphoric sense, while Normal-Abnormal are terms of comparison against a standard. In this game, the analogy is by the attribute of opposite values.