65 Letter to Allan Douglas Risteen, December 6–9, 1911
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Ahti-Veikko Pietarinen
R L 376, R 500, Houghton Library. This chapter centres on Peirce’s technical exposition of his Diagrammatic Syntax (Existential Graphs), which Peirce began to compose, but much of which was lost, in a December 1911 letter to engineer Allan Risteen. Peirce traces the system’s evolution from its 1896 inception—sparked while proofreading his Monist article on logic—to its refined Alpha–Beta–Gamma divisions. He defends the graphical system’s purpose of dissecting deductive reasoning into elemental steps on the theatre of a Phemic Sheet, on which the assertions are scribed and on which shaded areas denote negation, lines signify identity, and spots (here termed blots) that represent simple assertions. Rejecting claims of mathematical inefficiency, Peirce argues that syntax’s value lies in its validity-ensuring anatomising of deductive reasoning into its elemental logical steps, not its computational speed to expedite problem-solving. The letter (incomplete due to a debilitating injury) reveals his urgency to document logical innovations such as graphical representations of modalities (the new Delta part). Risteen’s brief reply acknowledges their previous discussion, including the centrality of statistical facts deduced from the systemlevel behaviour of electrons. He pledges to test a “porous-plug” physics apparatus, underscoring their shared scientific curiosity and engagement. This exchange epitomises Peirce’s late-career dedication to making progress through scientific discoveries, revealing his struggle to secure his intellectual legacy.
R L 376, R 500, Houghton Library. This chapter centres on Peirce’s technical exposition of his Diagrammatic Syntax (Existential Graphs), which Peirce began to compose, but much of which was lost, in a December 1911 letter to engineer Allan Risteen. Peirce traces the system’s evolution from its 1896 inception—sparked while proofreading his Monist article on logic—to its refined Alpha–Beta–Gamma divisions. He defends the graphical system’s purpose of dissecting deductive reasoning into elemental steps on the theatre of a Phemic Sheet, on which the assertions are scribed and on which shaded areas denote negation, lines signify identity, and spots (here termed blots) that represent simple assertions. Rejecting claims of mathematical inefficiency, Peirce argues that syntax’s value lies in its validity-ensuring anatomising of deductive reasoning into its elemental logical steps, not its computational speed to expedite problem-solving. The letter (incomplete due to a debilitating injury) reveals his urgency to document logical innovations such as graphical representations of modalities (the new Delta part). Risteen’s brief reply acknowledges their previous discussion, including the centrality of statistical facts deduced from the systemlevel behaviour of electrons. He pledges to test a “porous-plug” physics apparatus, underscoring their shared scientific curiosity and engagement. This exchange epitomises Peirce’s late-career dedication to making progress through scientific discoveries, revealing his struggle to secure his intellectual legacy.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations of Peirce’s Works, Archives, and Names
- Introductory Note XV
- Foreword XVII
- Contents XXI
- General Introduction to Logic of the Future 1
- Introduction to the Theory of Existential Graphs, Volumes 3/1 and 3/2 15
- Introduction to Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs 29
- Afterword 200
- References 205
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Charles S. Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs
- 55 Letters on Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 239
- 56 Entries for Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 257
- 57 Letters to Josiah Royce, 1903–1913 296
- 58 Peirce–Paul Carus–Francis C. Russell Correspondence, 1896–1919 303
- 59 Letters to William James, 1897–1910 376
- 60 Letter to E. V. Huntington, February 14, 1904 426
- 61 Letters to Victoria Welby, 1905–1909 430
- 62 Letters to Samuel Barnett, 1909–1910 473
- 63 Letter to James Howard Kehler, June 22, 1911 487
- 64 Letter to Fernand Robert, September 29, 1911 548
- 65 Letter to Allan Douglas Risteen, December 6–9, 1911 556
- 66 Correspondence with Frederick Adams Woods, 1911–1913 564
- 67 Letter to Fellow, 1909, and to Henry James Jr., 1911 590
- 68 Epilogue: Correspondence with Mary Elizabeth Huntington, 1907–1914 606
- Chronology of the Correspondence 637
- Bibliography of Peirce’s References
- Contents of previous volumes 653
- Name Index
- Keyword Index
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations of Peirce’s Works, Archives, and Names
- Introductory Note XV
- Foreword XVII
- Contents XXI
- General Introduction to Logic of the Future 1
- Introduction to the Theory of Existential Graphs, Volumes 3/1 and 3/2 15
- Introduction to Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs 29
- Afterword 200
- References 205
-
Charles S. Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs
- 55 Letters on Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 239
- 56 Entries for Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 257
- 57 Letters to Josiah Royce, 1903–1913 296
- 58 Peirce–Paul Carus–Francis C. Russell Correspondence, 1896–1919 303
- 59 Letters to William James, 1897–1910 376
- 60 Letter to E. V. Huntington, February 14, 1904 426
- 61 Letters to Victoria Welby, 1905–1909 430
- 62 Letters to Samuel Barnett, 1909–1910 473
- 63 Letter to James Howard Kehler, June 22, 1911 487
- 64 Letter to Fernand Robert, September 29, 1911 548
- 65 Letter to Allan Douglas Risteen, December 6–9, 1911 556
- 66 Correspondence with Frederick Adams Woods, 1911–1913 564
- 67 Letter to Fellow, 1909, and to Henry James Jr., 1911 590
- 68 Epilogue: Correspondence with Mary Elizabeth Huntington, 1907–1914 606
- Chronology of the Correspondence 637
- Bibliography of Peirce’s References
- Contents of previous volumes 653
- Name Index
- Keyword Index
