Negative spaces

This collection attempts to interpret complex human emotions into a common language. Its characters meditate in closets, are scarred by falling up a flight of stairs, and breathe liquid within the world of the poem. It is divided into four sections entitled, interstice, stricture, interspace, and caesura. It is specifically intent upon evoking an emotional response from its readers. It is meant to be read aloud

All Points Distant

Fictional story written by Scott Earle

The price of inscrutability

In our reasoning we depend on the stability of language, the fact that its signs do not arbitrarily change in meaning from moment to moment.(Campbell, 1994, p.82) Some philosophers offer arguments contending that ordinary names such as “London” are radically indeterminate in reference. The conclusion of such arguments is that there is no fact of the matter whether “London” refers to a city in the south of England, or whether instead it refers to Sydney, Australia. Some philosophers have even suggested that we accept the conclusion of these arguments. Such a position seems crazy to many; but what exactly goes wrong if one adopts such a view? This paper evaluates the theoretical costs incurred by one who endorses extreme inscrutability of reference (the ‘inscrutabilist’). I show that there is one particular implication of extreme inscrutability which pushes the price of inscrutabilism too high. An extension of the classic ‘permutation’ arguments for extreme inscrutability allow us to establish what I dub ‘extreme indexical inscrutability’. This result, I argue, unacceptably undermines the epistemology of inference. The first half of the paper develops the background of permutation arguments for extreme inscrutability of reference and evaluates some initial attempts to make trouble for the inscrutabilist. Sections 1 and 2 describe the setting of the original permutation arguments for extreme inscrutability. Sections 3 and 4 survey four potential objections to extreme inscrutability of reference, including some recently raised in Vann McGee’s excellent (2005a). Sections 5 sketches how the permutation arguments can be generalized to establish extreme indexical inscrutability; and shows how this contradicts a ‘stability principle’—that our words do not arbitrarily change their reference from one moment to the next—which I claim plays a vital role in the epistemology of inference. The second half of the paper develops in detail the case for thinking that language is stable in the relevant sense. In section 6, I use this distinction to call into question the epistemological relevance of validity of argument types; Kaplan’s treatment of indexical validity partially resolves this worry, but there is a residual problem. In section 7, I argue that stability is exactly what is needed to bridge this final gap, and so secure the relevance of validity to good inferential practice. Section 8 responds to objections to this claim. An appendix to the paper provides formal backing for the results cited in this paper, including a generalization of permutation arguments to the kind of rich setting required for a realistic semantics of natural language.1 Extreme indexical inscrutability results can be proved within this setting. The first half of the paper shows that the inscrutabilist is committed to extreme indexical inscrutability, which implies that language not determinately ‘stable’. The second half of the paper argues that good inference requires stability. The price of inscrutabilism, therefore, is to sever the connection between the validity of argument-forms and inferential practice: and this is too high a price to pay

An extensive analysis and testing of wedding dress fabric

This material analysis explores polyester satin, polyester chiffon, nylon tulle, silk organza, and silk taffeta that are utilized in the wedding gown industry today. Each of the five fabrics are extensively tested in the laboratory to determine cover factor, drape, abrasion, crocking (wet & dry), stiffness, tensile strength, and seam strength. These fabric properties are usually considered to have significant effects on the garment performance. The results from these tests are analyzed, giving a better understanding of each fabric’s individual characteristics to help dressmaking designers further their knowledge and better construct their wedding dress garments

The name of the sandwich itself.

The poems in this collection seek to explore and highlight connections between the familiar domestic realm (often seen in depictions of food preparation and consumption, social events, or material possessions) and shifting, sometimes ambiguous relationships between people. Gender, in particular, is examined, exaggerated, and/or de constructed to underscore the author\u27s ongoing interest in the ways in which expected male and female roles are constructed and performed within personal interactions. The poems here exhibit a variety of different tones, ranging from darkly comic to contemplative, from joyous to solemn. The author believes it possible for poems to possess both comedic and serious elements, for simple language to convey complex meaning, and for elaborate language to make a celebration out of the ordinary. In other words, poetry has the potential to use contradiction to create meaningful effect