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Date: Sat, 11 May 2013 22:03:15 +0200
Subject: Python for philosophers
From: Citizen Kant <citizenkant@gmail.com>
To: python-list@python.org
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Hi,
this could be seen as an extravagant subject but that is not my original
purpose. I still don't know if I want to become a programmer or not. At
this moment I'm just inspecting the environment. I'm making my way to
Python (and OOP in general) from a philosophical perspective or point of
view and try to set the more global definition of Python's core as an
"entity". In order to do that, and following Wittgenstein's indication
about that the true meaning of words doesn't reside on dictionaries but in
the use that we make of them, the starting question I make to myself about
Python is: which is the single and most basic use of Python as the entity
it is? I mean, beside programming, what's the single and most basic result
one can expect from "interacting" with it directly (interactive mode)? I
roughly came to the idea that Python could be considered as an *economic
mirror for data*, one that mainly *mirrors* the data the programmer types
on its black surface, not exactly as the programmer originally typed it,
but expressed in the most economic way possible. That's to say, for
example, if one types >>>1+1 Python reflects >>>2. When data appears
between apostrophes, then the mirror reflects, again, the same but
expressed in the most economic way possible (that's to say without the
apostrophes).

So, would it be legal (true) to define Python's core as an entity that
mirrors whatever data one presents to it (or feed it with) showing back the
most shortened expression of that data?

Don't get me wrong. I can see the big picture and the amazing things that
programmers write on Python, it's just that my question points to the
lowest level of it's existence.

Thanks a lot for your time.

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Hi,<br>this could be seen as an extravagant subject but that is not my orig=
inal purpose. I still don&#39;t know if I want to become a programmer or no=
t. At this moment I&#39;m just inspecting the environment. I&#39;m making m=
y way to Python (and OOP in general) from a philosophical perspective or po=
int of view and try to set the more global definition of Python&#39;s core =
as an &quot;entity&quot;. In order to do that, and following Wittgenstein&#=
39;s indication about that the true meaning of words doesn&#39;t reside on =
dictionaries but in the use that we make of them, the starting question I m=
ake to myself about Python is: which is the single and most basic use of Py=
thon as the entity it is? I mean, beside programming, what&#39;s the single=
 and most basic result one can expect from &quot;interacting&quot; with it =
directly (interactive mode)? I roughly came to the idea that Python could b=
e considered as an <b>economic mirror for data</b>, one that mainly <b>mirr=
ors</b> the data the programmer types on its black surface, not exactly as =
the programmer originally typed it, but expressed in the most economic way =
possible. That&#39;s to say, for example, if one types &gt;&gt;&gt;1+1 Pyth=
on reflects &gt;&gt;&gt;2. When data appears between apostrophes, then the =
mirror reflects, again, the same but expressed in the most economic way pos=
sible (that&#39;s to say without the apostrophes).<br>
<br>So, would it be legal (true) to define Python&#39;s core as an entity t=
hat mirrors whatever data one presents to it (or feed it with) showing back=
 the most shortened expression of that data?<br><br>Don&#39;t get me wrong.=
 I can see the big picture and the amazing things that programmers write on=
 Python, it&#39;s just that my question points to the lowest level of it=
9;s existence.<br>
<br>Thanks a lot for your time.<br>

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