Re: "schizophrenic" reference

[Tom Leinster <Tom.Leinster@glasgow.ac.uk>]

I'm afraid I say this every time "schizophrenic" objects come up, but here
I go again...

Let's not use that word.

To quote the Guardian style guide (http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/s):

     schizophrenia, schizophrenic

     use only in a medical context, never to mean "in two minds",
     contradictory, or erratic, which is wrong, as well as offensive to
     people diagnosed with this illness.

There is a concise summary of the history and terminology at

     http://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/dualizing+object

which also links to a discussion of alternatives.  "Dualizing object" and
"ambimorphic object" are both used.

Best wishes,
Tom


On Thu, 28 Oct 2010, Fred E.J. Linton wrote:

> On Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:14:24 AM EDT Prof. Peter Johnstone
> <P.T.Johnstone@dpmms.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>> ... I don't claim credit (if that's the right word) for
>> introducing this use of "schizophrenic". I got it from ...
>
> I wasn't aiming for an attribution of credit -- only for
> a citation of use of the term in the accessible literature.
>
> Certainly I have, over the years, heard at least Isbell and
> Lawvere -- and others -- refer to schizophrenic objects,
> schizoid objects, objects with "split" -- or "multiple", or
> "more than one" -- personality, and the like.
>
> How far back, "over the years"? -- Probably at least to the
> early 'seventies, quite possibly earlier.
>
> Cheers, -- Fred
>
>
>
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>


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