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Re: What is "technical" writing? (Was: RE: What to do?)
Subject:Re: What is "technical" writing? (Was: RE: What to do?) From:Sean Hower <hokumhome -at- freehomepage -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 29 Oct 2003 07:39:46 -0800 (PST)
<nitPicking>
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k k wrote
Sorry, but while "information gathering" may qualify,
there is no such thing as the "science" of
organization, communication, or translation.
Especially translation, which involves cultural
differences as well as linguistic differences.
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Ah, but kk (if that's your real name), cross-cultural studies is a science (a squishy one, granted) and so is linguistics (this is both squishy and non-squishy depending on teh flavor). And of course there is the entire field of cultural linguistics. :-) So, translation can be said to be based on science.
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People can't be quantified.
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Yes they can. Statistics, which by your definition of science (expressed in mathematical models and formulas) it a science, can do it nicely. And there is quantifiable observations that can be expressed as statsitics. Moreover, just about any science that can examine the human body, from basic biology to neurolinguistics, can also quantify people based on any of the factors those sciences study. If we can put a set of mathematical models on, say, plate techtonics, we can do it with people. We're all part of the same space stuff. :-) On the lighter side, games simulate people all of the time, with varying degrees of success, and that behavior must be quantified and expressed in mathematical formulas to make them work properly.
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