Publisher's Synopsis
"Not A, Not Be, &c is a collection of essays on general semantics and media ecology, based on the apporach that Alfred Korzybski referred to as a non-aristotelian. The lead essay begins with the concept of the non-aristotelian, also contextualizing and complementing general semantics by way of media ecology, and following Korzybski's lead by grounding it all in physics (and a bit of metaphysics). The second essay relates to the non-aristotelian principle of non-identity, as it reviews the differences between three different types of codes or symbol systems: language, images, and numbers/numerals. The third essay reviews the case against the verb "to be" in general semantics, and considers the broader context by way of linguistics and orality-literacy studies. The fourth essay consists of a reflection on the topic of imagination. The fifth essay combines concepts derived from general semantics and media ecology to provide suggestions for