The Commens Dictionary

Quote from ‘New Elements (Kaina stoiceia)’

Quote: 

The purpose of every sign is to express “fact,” and by being joined with other signs, to approach as nearly as possible to determining an interpretant which would be the perfect Truth, the absolute Truth, and as such (at least, we may use this language) would be the very Universe. Aristotle gropes for a conception of perfection or entelechy, which he never succeeds in making clear. We may adopt the word to mean the very fact, that is, the ideal sign which should be quite perfect, and so identical, - in such identity as a sign may have, with the very matter denoted united with the very form signified by it. The entelechy of the Universe of being, then, the Universe qua fact, will be that Universe in its aspect as a sign, the “Truth” of being. The “Truth,” the fact that is not abstracted but complete, is the ultimate interpretant of every sign.

Date: 
1904 [c.]
References: 
EP 2:304
Citation: 
‘Truth’ (pub. 14.04.13-12:17). Quote in M. Bergman & S. Paavola (Eds.), The Commens Dictionary: Peirce's Terms in His Own Words. New Edition. Retrieved from http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-new-elements-kaina-stoiceia-2.
Posted: 
Apr 14, 2013, 12:17 by Sami Paavola
Last revised: 
Jan 02, 2016, 15:52 by Mats Bergman