LRB on AS

[Mathew Forstater]

there is a difference between what was prior historically and what was prior in
one individual's exposure.  much of the terminology in mathematics was
appropriated from somewhere else.  one may happen to be exposed to a
mathematical usage before another usage, but that doesn't mean the mathematical
usage was historically prior.

by the way, everyone seems to concede, at least implicitly, that Althusser's use
of "overdetermination" is inconsistent with the mathematical usage.  not that i
care if it is or it isn't, but i don't see that it necessarily is.

mat

Brad De Long wrote:


> If you don't work hard to use established meanings for words--if you make
> your own meanings, either because you are too sloppy or careless to figure
> out what prior users meant, ....