Settle a strange question: Is a watch an organon?

[Maulik]

A few nights ago, I was reading the dictionary and came across the word "organon." Definition courtsey of webster's:
an instrument for acquiring knowledge; specifically : a body of principles of scientific or philosophic investigation

My friend contends that each instance of checking the watch for the time is a philosophical investigation. That is ridiculous, when one is checking the time, they are merely asking a simple question.

A watch contains static information, although the time changes the information offered can only be the time, perhaps inclusive can be date, month, year.

[Velocity]

I did a bunch of experiments in physics and chemistry in high school where part or figuring the answering out was using the watch on my wrist to see how long something took. Which makes me think the answer has to be yes, in the same way that a ruler is an organon or triple-beam balance is an organon.

[Bork]

lol, is the watch a principle or set of principles? Most watches I have come across were physical objects.

You are right that checking a watch in and of itself is not a philosophical or scientific investigation.

A watch is an instrument used for gaining knowledge, but I don't think calling it an organon would be correct. Organons are methods (logical instruments) not physical things.

[That Foreign Guy]

[ QUOTE ]
specifically : a body of principles of scientific or philosophic investigation

[/ QUOTE ]

A watch is not a body of principles. Your friend is misreading the definition.

An organon is an instrument for gaining knowledge ONLY when it is a body of principles.

For example:

House Cat - A feline specifically of the genus felix domesticus

What your friend is saying is equivalent to saying ZOMG a lion is a house cat.

[SHADYMILKMAN]

first off i am "that friend".

secondly that foreign guy, no your metaphor for what im saying is a gross misrepresentation of what is being said.

if you consider time as a philosophy which it is, then looking at a watch is a philosophic investigation.

investigate: transitive verb: to observe or study by close examination and systematic inquiry.

if im not mistaken when you look at a watch to see what time it is then it is an investigation by definition (M-W) so we have a standard to which were referencing. so it the limited phrasing of the definition. the principles set forth are the "standard/s" we use for time and its an application of said principles. in a similar fashion that physics is applied calculus.

anyway thats not how i would defend a watch being an organon i took the definition as an instrument for acquiring knowledge, you look at a watch you know what time it was when you looked at it. thats information that you didnt have before. hence the acquisition of the time. your currently knowledgeable about the time and can share that with others who dont know.

*bork, uhh you say that it is an instrument for gaining knowledge, but decide that since its not in line with what you know an organon to be, it cant be one. but the definition provided states otherwise. can you clarify, i may be missing something there.

[mbillie1]

if you consider time a philosophy you have a pretty narrow philosophy

[SHADYMILKMAN]

im sorry you feel that way...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philoso...space_and_time

[SamIAm]

[ QUOTE ]
im sorry you feel that way...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philoso...space_and_time

[/ QUOTE ]
Interesting:

[ QUOTE ]
The subject focuses on a number of basic issues, including—but not limited to—whether or not time and space exist independently of the mind, whether they exist independently of one another, and whether it's time for lunch yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Bork]

edit:
Nice one Sam.
[ QUOTE ]
im sorry you feel that way...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philoso...space_and_time

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a philosophical study of space and time. It does not follow that looking at a watch is a philosophical investigation. I doubt anything in the link suggests that checking a watch would qualify as such. I don't think philosophers are debating what time it is and using the output from their watches to support their various philosophical views.

As for why physical things don't count, read the definition more carefully. Calling some physical objects organons is ok in (ancient?) Greek, but the English use of it is specifically reserved for logical systems which hopefully give us knowledge.

[SHADYMILKMAN]

if you wouldnt mind delving into what you mean by "logical systems"

"a man with one watch knows what time it is, a man with two is never sure"

essentially they are debating the existence, prevalence and meaning to the group and individual of time and space. its relation to the "physical world".

you can look at your watch and see what time you go by, however someone in the same time zone isnt even necessarily at the same time you are. and his watch may even reflect the time that he goes by.

anyway the link was to say that time is a philosophy and looking at a watch is an observation of a prevailing belief (easy example was men in black and how they went by a 36hr day instead of 24).

you cant know what time it is by osmosis. you have to accept a philosophy that an hour is 60 longitudinal minutes. or use a sundial ... either way you choose to obersrve the measurement, you have to abide by that philosophy. (jewish/chinese/world years are all different, and based on different philosophies.)