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Article 7298 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: markrose@spss.com (Mark Rosenfelder)
Subject: Re: Grounding
Message-ID: <1992Oct15.215421.11788@spss.com>
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References: <718611244@sheol.UUCP> <1992Oct12.203359.8713@spss.com> <Bw6KFL.LAJ@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 21:54:21 GMT
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In article <Bw6KFL.LAJ@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca> pindor@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca 
(Andrzej Pindor) writes:
>In article <1992Oct12.203359.8713@spss.com> markrose@spss.com (Mark Rosenfelder) writes:
>>Grounding isn't something like a credit rating or a membership in the ACLU, 
>>which you have to actively maintain.  Once you've got it you keep it.  
>>
>I beg to disagree. Grounding arises from experiences with an object (or a 
>notion) in various contexts. These experiences are recorded in memory. If 
>memory fades (by lack of exposure to the object or notion and its context), 
>so will grounding fade too. To think otherwise would mean claiming that there 
>are things which we remember forever without any loss.

True enough, and if you lose all memory of a particular object it makes sense
that you'd no longer be grounded with respect to that object.  Chris
Malcolm's point about needing the capacity to remain grounded is also 
well taken.  Still, my comment was prompted by examples such as closing 
your eyes or moving to another town, and in neither case, I think, is
grounding affected.


