Edit log

Copyright © 1999, 2003 by Paul Vanderveen

I have made minor corrections or changes to my Objectivism-L e-mail list posts when placing them on my web site. I log these here to show that I have not altered substantive material involving dialogues with other list members.

1. Forming the Concept of Mind

  1. Original (1st paragraph, awkward expression): "Some philosophers, psychologists and, in my experience, Objectivists believe we did."
    Revised: "Some philosophers and psychologists (and, in my experience, many Objectivists) believe we did."
  2. Removed contraction (5th paragraph, for consistency).
  3. Original (next to last paragraph, removed unnecessary words for emphasis): "... that it served as the foundation for the subsequent conceptualization of the mind."
    Revised: "... that it served as the foundation for the subsequent conceptualization."
  4. Original (last paragraph, typo): "It is only after forming... that can one then apply...."
    Revised: "It is only after forming... that one can then apply...."

2. Basing the Concept of Mind on Reality

  1. Added Ayn Rand's first name (3rd paragraph, for consistency).
  2. Removed contraction (11th paragraph, for consistency).

3. Proper Names and Concepts

  1. Added Ayn Rand's first name (1st paragraph, for consistency).
  2. Added "or her" (6th paragraph, for consistency).
  3. Removed two contractions (6th and 7th paragraphs, for consistency).

4. The Concept of Mind and Certain Symmetries

  1. Added Ayn Rand's first name (1st paragraph, for consistency).
  2. Added "Rand" as author in reference (4th paragraph, for consistency).
  3. Removed two contractions (5th and 6th paragraphs, for consistency).

5. Concluding Remarks about Forming the Concept of Mind

  1. Removed four contractions (1st, 12th, 13th and 15th paragraphs, for consistency).
  2. Added comma (5th paragraph, compound sentence).
  3. Original (6th paragraph, improper emphasis on me, rather than the distinction): "This is not a valid reason for disregarding my distinction when considering my argument."
    Revised: "This is not a valid reason for disregarding this distinction when considering my argument."
  4. Original (10th paragraph, what kind of processes is clear from the context, but calling them processes of consciousness reflects our higher level of knowledge and can be misleading): "Preschool children are quite capable of conceptualizing processes of consciousness--and can imagine...."
    Revised: "Preschool children are quite capable of conceptualizing processes--and can imagine...."

6. Recognizing Minds

  1. Added missing comma (12th paragraph).

7. The Problem of "Other" Minds

  1. Original (6th paragraph, awkward expression): "... while treating minds and mental states or processes (such as thinking, remembering and feeling) as a single class."
    Revised: "... while treating mental states or processes (such as thinking, remembering and feeling) and minds as a single class."

8. Concept of Mind and Early Development

  1. Original (last paragraph, possibly confusing construction--differences between people intended, not between a person's words and actions): "insofar as children evaluate people's actions and words differently, considering others' contexts...."
    Revised: "insofar as children differentially evaluate people's actions (including speech), considering others' contexts...."

9. Retaining the Concept of Mind

  1. Original (4th paragraph, repeated expression): "... even while sitting 'in your room in total darkness.'"
    Revised: "... even while you sit alone in the dark."
  2. Original (5th paragraph, wordy construction): "... that were not previously possible to one."
    Revised: "... that one previously could not."

10. Ayn Rand and Other Minds

  1. Original (next to last paragraph, passive voice): "... and possible reverberations should not be discounted...."
    Revised: "... and we should not discount possible reverberations elsewhere...."

11. Perceiving Other Minds Directly?

  1. Inserted missing closing quotation mark in reference (5th paragraph).
  2. Removed emphasis and joined two sentences with semi-colon (21st paragraph, for clarity).
  3. Original (23rd paragraph, added word for clarity): "This was also Rand's stated view...."
    Revised: "This last was also Rand's stated view...."

12. Preconceptually Apprehending Other Minds?

  1. Original (7th paragraph, misquote): "As H. W. B. Joseph put it, 'we must have experience in thinking about things,....'"
    Revised: "As H. W. B. Joseph put it, 'we must have experience of thinking about things,....'"


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