Re: Why read philosophy?

Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Tue, 05 Oct 1999 16:04:29 +0000

At 10:16 PM 4/10/99 -0500, Eliezer wrote:

>> You're using the word "anthropomorphic" in a manner quite different from
>> how I normally see it used. Could you flesh that out a little more?
>
>Anthropomorphic: Shaped by man. Any pattern caused by features which
>are unique to humanity

This is a contrary usage, Eli, almost the opposite of the standard.

Anthropomorphic: `Shaped like man'. Any pattern deformed by a human percipient into a construct that resembles something human. E.g., imposing the face of Jesus on a bean or a biscuit and declaring this a miracle. E.g. (maybe, maybe not) Sagan and Druyan telling the story of an ape troop in terms appropriate to a bunch of feeble-minded gangsters (in SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS).

Anthropocentric? Still not quite right...

Damien Broderick