My opaque mind

I'm starting to write something about the "world-making" on non humans... and, actually, I may need to start by understanding what world-making or reality construction actually is... it seems to me to be the idea, or the lived idea, of the world that we inhabit... a world in which we have such and such affordances and in which such and such other beings play a part... I guess I think it is, broadly, what we think the world to be. This might not be conscious, but it shapes how we live and what we do and do not do.

Ah... here we go... turns out Nelson Goodman coined the term...

"Ways of Worldmaking" by Nelson Goodman is a seminal philosophical work that explores the idea of multiple, constructed worlds shaped by individual perspectives and symbolic systems. Goodman argues that there is no single, absolute way to describe the world; rather, different observers create their own versions based on various categories and frameworks. This notion challenges traditional views of objectivity in fields like science and psychology, suggesting that observation and understanding are inherently subjective processes that involve selective emphasis on certain features while ignoring others.

Throughout the book, Goodman emphasizes the interplay between art and science, positioning them along a continuum rather than as distinct domains. He introduces the concept of "irrealism," which posits that while not everything is unreal, worlds and their representations are intertwined. One key illustration involves conflicting statements about the Earth's motion, demonstrating that multiple truths can coexist depending on the observer's frame of reference. Goodman's work also delves into aesthetics, arguing that style and art are relative concepts, varying with context and time.

Overall, "Ways of Worldmaking" invites readers to reconsider how truth and meaning are constructed and understood, proposing that knowledge is less about discovering absolute truths and more about navigating various right versions within specific contexts. This innovative approach has resonated with both philosophical and non-specialist audiences, fostering a deeper inquiry into the nature of understanding and perception.

That's helpful.

Sort of.

Garden Robin seems to be pondering the concept... does Mohican Blue inhabit the same world?

What if there is no world-in-itself, rather, a multitude of made worlds?