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The pre-darwinian "system of verbal classification" proposed by Roget in 1852 is barely usable, but has only rarely been subjected to criticism:
(Wilkins had proposed another in 1668.)
A big problem is readability: if you try to read even the category-headings, your brain has to change contexts so often and so abruptly that it seems to overload. So one solution might be to arrange the categories into a story-narrative-- ideally, a story that uses each word once!
This page sketches a post-darwinian approach inspired by my logarithmic timeline-- words for astronomical events have a natural precedence over words for geological, biological, or psychological events. (I'm proposing the word 'etymogeny' as a variant on 'etymology' for this principle. Another recent etymogenic analysis is this anthropologists' list of human universals.)
So the approximate sequence is:
I'll also try adding Polti's 36 dramatic situations to the mix.
There's a deep philosophical difficulty related to the realism/nominalism debate-- eg, when there was no one around to hear it, did the Big Bang make a sound? If we accept the realist view, most of Roget's abstract categories would have to be simultaneously instantiated at the very beginning!
But since the early evolution of the nervous system must have confronted these abstract categories of physics-etc, one by one, I'll withhold most of them until that more-gradual phase.
(And it's still barely readable/usable...!)
Modern cosmologists use a specialised vocabulary with words like singularity, spacetime, antiparticle, boundary condition, symmetry breaking, string, brane, etc. Their more-familiar vocabulary includes Rogetian categories like:
2. Inexistence
107. Neverness
976. Deity (agency of creation)
106. Time
140. Change
313. Evolution
1. Existence
318. World
193. Littleness (includes particles)
316. Materiality
171. Energy
inflation
The physics of light seems to be important from a very early stage:
314. Oscillation
420. Light 421. Darkness
422. Dimness
423. Luminary
424. Shade
425. Transparency 426. Opacity
427. Semitransparency
Perhaps also these?
408. Resonance 4O8a. Nonresonance
402. Sound 403. Silence
404. Loudness 405. Faintness
And the vocabulary of particles-in-motion:
184. Location
185. Displacement
264. Motion
274. Velocity
276. Impulse
278. Direction
284. Propulsion
382. Heat
384. Calefaction
194. Expansion
334. Gaseity
349. Wind
condensation
As the expansion slows, galaxies of stars condense:
319. Gravity
275. Slowness
385. Refrigeration
383. Cold
195. Contraction
321. Density 322. Rarity
265. Quiescence
286. Approach 287. Recession
288. Attraction 289. Repulsion
43. Junction 44. Disjunction
45. Vinculum (connecting-principles)
48. Combination 49. Decomposition
72. Assemblage
73. Dispersion, Nonassemblage
161. Production 162. Destruction
323. Hardness 324. Softness
325. Elasticity 326. Inelasticity
277. Recoil
312. Rotation
407. Roll
stars, etc
54. Composition
16. Uniformity
16a. Nonuniformity
41. Mixture
42. Simpleness
172. Inertness
327. Tenacity
333. Fluidity
352. Semiliquidity
331. Friction 332. Lubrication
335. Liquefaction
328. Brittleness
330. Pulverulence (powderiness, incl interstellar dust)
205. Filament
204. Layer
353. Bubble
223. Covering
dry planets
340. Dryness
307. Elevation 308. Depression
344. Plain
336. Vaporization
338. Air
wet planets
337. Water
339. Moisture
341. Ocean 342. Land
343. Gulf, Lake
346. Island
347. Stream
348. River
345. Marsh
chemical evolution
Roget's system was especially impoverished here:
355. Unctuousness
356. Oil
356a. Resin
Tastes and smells might be allowed to represent their chemical correlates, eg:
391. Insipidity 392. Pungency
396. Sweetness 397. Sourness
life
Incrementally self-replicating ribozymes:
163. Reproduction
22. Prototype
298. Food
21. Copy
23. Agreement 24. Disagreement
11. Consanguinity
166. Paternity 167. Posterity
Cell membranes:
232. Inclosure
299. Excretion
224. Lining
359. Life 360. Death
362. Corpse
242. Symmetry (?)
metabolism
654. Health 655. Disease
656. Salubrity 657. Insalubrity
658. Improvement 659. Deterioration
660. Restoration
661. Relapse
662. Remedy 663. Bane
664. Safety 665. Danger
667. Pitfall
sensitivity
Here we begin to get the nominalist abstractions (but the exact sequence is probably a major research problem):
527. Information
15. Difference
465. Discrimination 465a. Indiscrimination
20a. Variation
16. Uniformity
16a. Nonuniformity
7. State
8. Circumstance
25. Quantity
26. Degree
31. Greatness 32. Smallness
33. Superiority 34. Inferiority
35. Increase 36. Decrease
27. Equality 28. Inequality
29. Mean
464. Comparison
609. Choice 609a. Absence of Choice
610. Rejection
554. Representation 555. Misrepresentation
494. Truth 495. Error
490. Knowledge 491. Ignorance
480. Judgment 481. Misjudgment
480a. Discovery
482. Overestimation 483. Underestimation
Polti's #33- erroneous judgment
motivation
820. Affections
821. Feeling
822. Sensibility 823. Insensibility
824. Excitation
825. Excitability 826. Inexcitability
827. Pleasure 828. Pain
829. Pleasureableness 830. Painfulness
375. Sensibility 376. Insensibility
377. Pleasure 378. Pain
615. Motive 615a. Absence of Motive
831. Content 832. Discontent
680. Action 681. Inaction
682. Activity 683. Inactivity
684. Haste 685. Leisure
686. Exertion 687. Repose
688. Fatigue 689. Refreshment
The 'hedonic calculus' of the utilitarians:
811. Accounts
812. Price
813. Discount
814. Dearness 815. Cheapness
816. Liberality 817. Economy
818. Prodigality 819. Parsimony
planning
626. Plan
627. Method
628. Mid-course (eg compromise)
629. Circuit (path)
630. Requirement
631. Instrumentality
632. Means
633. Instrument
634. Substitute
635. Materials
30. Compensation
729. Completion 730. Noncompletion
731. Success 732. Failure
733. Trophy
734. Prosperity 735. Adversity
736. Mediocrity
973. Reward 972. Punishment
698. Skill 699. Unskillfulness
700. Proficient 701. Bungler
702. Cunning 703. Artlessness
704. Difficulty 705. Facility
Plan-related emotions must have been slow to evolve:
858. Hope 859. Hopelessness
860. Fear
801. Courage 862. Cowardice
863. Rashness 864. Caution
865. Desire 867. Dislike
866. Indifference
868. Fastidiousness,
869. Satiety
833. Regret 834. Relief
835. Aggravation
836. Cheerfulness 837. Dejection
838. Rejoicing 839. Lamentation
666. Refuge
668. Warning
669. Alarm
670. Preservation
671. Escape
672. Deliverance
953. Temperance 954. Intemperance
954a. Sensualist
955. Asceticism
956. Fasting
957. Gluttony
Polti's #9- daring enterprise: bold leader achieves object despite adversary
30- ambition: ambitious person, thing coveted, adversary
7- falling prey to cruelty or misfortune
6- disaster: enemy vanquishes old regime
memory
505. Memory 506. Oblivion
551. Record
552. Obliteration
Intuitions based on memory?
3. Substantiality 4. Unsubstantiality
1. Existence 2. Inexistence
136. Frequency 137. Infrequency
138. Periodicity 139. Irregularity
140. Change 141. Permanence
142. Cessation
143. Continuance
144. Conversion 145. Reversion
146. Revolution
147. Substitution
148. Interchange
149. Changeableness 150. Stability
14. Contrariety
thought
(These badly overlap 'sensitivity' above.)
Psychology recapitulates cosmology:
17. Similarity 18. Dissimilarity
41. Mixture
42. Simpleness
37. Addition 38. Deduction
39. Adjunct
40. Remainder
40a. Decrement
43. Junction 44. Disjunction
45. Vinculum
48. Combination 49. Decomposition
50. Whole 51. Part
52. Completeness 53. Incompleteness
54. Composition
9. Relation 10. Irrelation
46. Coherence 47. Incoherence
12. Correlation
13. Identity
sexual reproduction
373. Man 374. Woman
903. Marriage
904. Celibacy
905. Divorce
367. Vegetable 366. Animal
Polti's #28- obstacles to love: lovers, obstacle
22- all sacrificed for a passion: lover, object of passion, sacrifice
17- fatal imprudence: imprudent one hurts victim
16- madness: madman hurts victim
34- remorse
sensation
379. Touch
380. Sensations of touch
381. Numbness
382. Heat 383. Cold
384. Calefaction 385. Refrigeration
390. Taste
391. Insipidity 392. Pungency
393. Condiment
394. Savoriness 395. Unsavoriness
396. Sweetness 397. Sourness
398. Odor 399. Inodorousness
400. Fragrance 401. Fetor
402. Sound 403. Silence
404. Loudness 405. Faintness
406. Snap
407. Roll
408. Resonance 4O8a. Nonresonance
409. Sibilation
410. Stridor
411. Cry
412. Ululation
418. Hearing 419. Deafness
321. Density 322. Rarity
323. Hardness 324. Softness
325. Elasticity 326. Inelasticity
327. Tenacity
328. Brittleness
329. Texture
330. Pulverulence
331. Friction 332. Lubrication
333. Fluidity
334. Gaseity
335. Liquefaction
336. Vaporization
352. Semiliquidity
353. Bubble
354. Pulpiness
355. Unctuousness
356. Oil
356a. Resin
space
180a. Inextension
180. Indefinite 181. Definite
182. Limited
183. Situation
184. Location
185. Displacement
186. Presence 187. Absence
188. Inhabitant
189. Abode
192. Size 193. Littleness
194. Expansion 195. Contraction
196. Distance 197. Nearness
198. Interval
199. Contiguity
200. Length 201. Shortness
202. Breadth 203. Narrowness
204. Layer
205. Filament
206. Height 207. Lowness
208. Depth 209. Shallowness
210. Summit 211. Base
212. Verticality 213. Horizontality
214. Pendency 215. Support
216. Parallelism
217. Obliquity
218. Inversion
219. Crossing
220. Exteriority 221. Interiority
222. Centrality
223. Covering
224. Lining
225. Investment 226. Divestment
227. Circumjacence
228. Interjacence
229. Circumscription
230. Outline
231. Edge
232. Inclosure
233. Limit
234. Front 235. Rear
236. Laterality
237. Contraposition
238. Dextrality 239. Sinistrality
travel
264. Motion 265. Quiescence
266. Journey
268. Traveler
270. Transference
274. Velocity 275. Slowness
276. Impulse
277. Recoil
278. Direction
279. Deviation
280. Precession
281. Sequence
282. Progression
283. Regression
284. Propulsion
285. Traction
286. Approach 287. Recession
288. Attraction 289. Repulsion
290. Convergence 291. Divergence
292. Arrival 293. Departure
294. Ingress 295. Egress
296. Reception 297. Ejection
298. Food
299. Excretion
300. Insertion 301. Extraction
302. Passage
303. Transcursion
304. Shortcoming
305. Ascent 306. Descent
307. Elevation 308. Depression
309. Leap
310. Plunge
311. Circuition
312. Rotation
313. Evolution
314. Oscillation
315. Agitation
place
337. Water
338. Air
339. Moisture 340. Dryness
341. Ocean
342. Land
343. Gulf, Lake
344. Plain
345. Marsh
346. Island
347. Stream
348. River
349. Wind
time
106. Time
107. Neverness
108. Period
109. Course
108a. Contingent Duration
110. Diuturnity
111. Transientness
112. Perpetuity
113. Instantaneity
115. Anachronism
116. Priority 117. Posteriority
118. Present time
119. Different time
120. Synchronism
121. Futurity
122. Preterition
123. Newness 124. Oldness
125. Morning 126. Evening
127. Youth 128. Age
129. Infant
130. Veteran
131. Adolescence
132. Earliness 133. Lateness
134. Occasion
135. Intempestivity
151. Eventuality
152. Destiny
vision
420. Light 421. Darkness
422. Dimness
423. Luminary
424. Shade
425. Transparency 426. Opacity
427. Semitransparency
428. Color 429. Achromatism
430. Whiteness 431. Blackness
432. Gray
433. Brown
434. Redness
435. Greenness
436. Yellowness
437. Purple
438. Blueness
439. Orange
440. Variegation
441. Vision 442. Blindness
443. Dim-sightedness
444. Spectator
446. Visibility 447. Invisibility
448. Appearance 449. Disappearance
240. Form 241. Amorphism
242. Symmetry
243. Distortion
244. Angularity
245. Curvature
246. Straightness
247. Circularity
248. Convolution
249. Rotundity
250. Convexity 252. Concavity
251. Flatness
253. Sharpness 254. Bluntness
255. Smoothness 256. Roughness
257. Notch
258. Fold
259. Furrow
260. Opening 261. Closure
reasoning
55. Exclusion
56. Component
57. Extraneous
58. Order 59. Disorder
60. Arrangement 61. Derangement
62. Precedence
63. Sequence
64. Precursor 65. Sequel
66. Beginning 67. End
68. Middle
69. Continuity 70. Discontinuity
71. Term
72. Assemblage
73. Dispersion, Nonassemblage
74. Focus
75. Class
76. Inclusion 77. Exclusion
78. Generality 79. Speciality
80. Rule
81. Multiformity
82. Conformity 83. Unconformity
102. Multitude 103. Fewness
104. Repetition
153. Cause 154. Effect
155. Attribution
156. Chance
157. Power 158. Impotence
159. Strength 160. Weakness
161. Production 162. Destruction
163. Reproduction
164. Producer 165. Destroyer
166. Paternity 167. Posterity
168. Productiveness 169. Unproductiveness
170. Agency
171. Energy
172. Inertness
173. Violence
174. Moderation
175. Influence 175a. Absence of Influence
176. Tendency
177. Liability
178. Concurrence
179. Counteraction
316. Materiality 317. Immateriality
318. World
319. Gravity
320. Levity
357. Organization 358. Inorganization
359. Life 360. Death
361. Killing
362. Corpse
364. Animality
365. Vegetability
366. Animal
367. Vegetable
370. Cicuration
372. Mankind
373. Man 374. Woman
450. Intellect 450a. Absence of Intellect
451. Thought 452. Incogitancy
453. Idea
454. Topic
455. Curiosity 456. Incuriosity
457. Attention 458. Inattention
459. Care 460. Neglect
463. Experiment
466. Measurement
467. Evidence
468. Counterevidence
469. Qualification
470. Possibility 471. Impossibility
472. Probability 473. Improbability
474. Certainty 475. Uncertainty
476. Reasoning
477. Sophistry, Intuition
478. Demonstration 479. Confutation
Polti's #11- the enigma: "interrogator, seeker, and problem"
484. Belief 485. Doubt, Unbelief
486. Credulity 487. Incredulity
488. Assent 489. Dissent
492. Scholar 493. Ignoramus
497. Absurdity
498. Intelligence, Wisdom 499. Imbecility, Folly
500. Sage 501. Fool
502. Sanity 503. Insanity
504. Madman
507. Expectation 508. Inexpectation
509. Disappointment
510. Foresight
511. Prediction
512. Omen
513. Oracle
514. Supposition
515. Imagination
600. Will
601. Necessity
602. Willingness 603. Unwillingness
604. Resolution
604a. Perseverance
605. Irresolution
606. Obstinacy
607. Tergiversation
608. Caprice
611. Predetermination
612. Impulse
613. Habit
614. Desuetude
617. Plea 616. Dissuasion
618. Good 619. Evil
620. Intention
621. Chance
622. Pursuit 623. Avoidance
624. Relinquishment
625. Business
639. Sufficiency
641. Redundance
640. Insufficiency
642. Importance 643. Unimportance
644. Utility 645. Inutility
646. Expedience 647. Inexpedience
648. Goodness 649. Badness
650. Perfection 651. Imperfection
652. Cleanness 653. Uncleanness
673. Preparation 674. Nonpreparation
675. Essay
676. Undertaking
677. Use 678. Disuse
679. Misuse
5. Intrinsicality 6. Extrinsicality
19. Imitation 20. Nonimitation
21. Copy
22. Prototype
23. Agreement 24. Disagreement
society
361. Killing
716. Attack 717. Defense
11. Consanguinity
897. Love 898. Hate
906. Benevolence 907. Malevolence
908. Malediction
909. Threat
888. Friendship 889. Enmity
890. Friend 891. Enemy
892. Sociality 893. Seclusion
899. Favorite
902. Endearment
706. Hindrance 707. Aid
708. Opposition 709. Cooperation
710. Opponent 711. Auxiliary
910. Philanthrophy 911. Misanthropy
912. Benefactor 913. Evil doer
914. Pity 914a. Pitilessness
915. Condolence
916. Gratitude 917. Ingratitude
918. Forgiveness
919. Revenge
920. Jealousy
921. Envy
900. Resentment
901. Irascibility
901a. Sullenness
712. Party
713. Discord 714. Concord
715. Defiance
718. Retaliation
719. Resistance
720. Contention 721. Peace
722. Warfare 723. Pacification
724. Mediation
725. Submission
726. Combatant
Polti's #12- obtaining: solicitor and adversary who is refusing 24- rivalry of superior and inferior: two rivals and object of rivalry 31- conflict with a god
25- adultery
26- crimes of love: knowing incest, etc.
36- loss of loved ones: kinsman sees kinsman slain
18- involuntary crimes of love: unknowing incest, etc.
14- rivalry of kinsmen: object prefers one, rejects other
13- enmity of kinsmen
19- slaying of a kinsman unrecognized
21- self-sacrifice for kindred
32- mistaken jealousy
29- an enemy loved: enemy, lover, hater
5- pursuit: punishment pursues fugitive
8- revolt: conspirator tries to vanquish tyrant
1- supplication: supplicant asks powerful one to stop persecutor
2- deliverance: rescuer rescues unfortunate one from threatener
3- crime pursued by vengeance: avenger pursues criminal
4- vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred
10- abduction: abductor abducts abducted from guardian
35- recovery of a lost one: seeker, one found
15- murderous adultery: love-triangle + murder of any one
23- necessity of sacrificing loved ones: hero, beloved victim, cause
27- discovery of the dishonor of a loved one
20- self-sacrificing for an ideal: hero, ideal, [creditor or
sacrificial victim]
hierarchy
737. Authority 738. Laxity
739. Severity 740. Lenity
741. Command
742. Disobedience 743. Obedience
744. Compulsion
745. Master 746. Servant
748. Freedom
749. Subjection 750. Liberation
751. Restraint
755. Commission
756. Abrogation
757. Resignation
758. Consignee
759. Deputy
760. Permission 761. Prohibition
762. Consent
763. Offer
764. Refusal
765. Request
766. Deprecation
767. Petitioner
768. Promise
768a. Release
769. Compact
770. Conditions
771. Security
772. Observance 773. Nonobservance
774. Compromise
690. Agent
691. Workshop
692. Conduct
693. Direction
694. Director
695. Advice
696. Council
697. Precept
840. Amusement
841. Weariness
842. Wit 843. Dullness
844. Humorist
845. Beauty 846. Ugliness
848. Blemish
849. Simplicity
850. Taste 851. Vulgarity
852. Fashion 853. Ridiculousness
855. Affectation
856. Ridicule
857. Laughingstock
870. Wonder
871. Expectance
872. Prodigy
873. Repute 874. Disrepute
878. Pride 879. Humility
880. Vanity 881. Modesty
882. Ostentation
883. Celebration
884. Boasting
885. Insolence
886. Servility
887. Blusterer
922. Right 923. Wrong
924. Dullness
925. Undueness
926. Duty 927. Dereliction
927a. Exemption
928. Respect 929. Disrespect
930. Contempt
931. Approbation 932. Disapprobation
933. Flattery 934. Detraction
935. Flatterer 936. Detractor
937. Vindication 938. Accusation
939. Probity 940. Improbity
941. Knave
942. Disinterestedness
943. Selfishness
944. Virtue 945. Vice
946. Innocence 947. Guilt
948. Good Man 949. Bad Man
950. Penitence 951. Impenitence
952. Atonement
958. Sobriety 959. Drunkenness
960. Purity 961. Impurity
962. Libertine
974. Penalty
894. Courtesy 895. Discourtesy
896. Congratulation
language
516. Meaning 517. Unmeaningness
518. Intelligibility 519. Unintelligibility
520. Equivocalness
521. Metaphor
522. Interpretation 523. Misinterpretation
524. Interpreter
525. Manifestation
526. Latency
528. Concealment 529. Disclosure
530. Ambush
531. Publication
532. News
533. Secret
534. Messenger
535. Affirmation 536. Negation
537. Teaching
538. Misteaching
539. Learning
540. Teacher 541. Learner
542. School
543. Veracity 544. Falsehood
545. Deception
546. Untruth
547. Dupe
548. Deceiver
549. Exaggeration
550. Indication
560. Language
562. Word
563. Neology
564. Nomenclature
565. Misnomer
566. Phrase
567. Grammar
568. Solecism
569. Style
570. Perspicuity 571. Obscurity
572. Conciseness 573. Diffuseness
574. Vigor 575. Feebleness
576. Plainness 577. Ornament
578. Elegance 579. Inelegance
580. Voice 581. Aphony
582. Speech
583. Stammering
584. Loquacity 585. Taciturnity
586. Allocution
587. Response
588. Interlocution
589. Soliloquy
594. Description
496. Maxim
461. Inquiry
462. Answer
84. Number
85. Numeration
86. List
87. Unity
88. Accompaniment
89. Duality
90. Duplication
91. Bisection
92. Triality
93. Triplication
94. Trisection
95. Quaternity
96. Quadruplication
97. Quadrisection
98. Five, &c
99. Quinquesection, &c
100. Plurality
100a. Fraction
101. Zero
possessions
775. Acquisition 776. Loss
777. Possession
777a. Exemption
778. Participation
779. Possessor 780. Property
781. Retention 782. Relinquishment
783. Transfer
784. Giving 785. Receiving
786. Apportionment
787. Lending 788. Borrowing
789. Taking 790. Restitution
791. Stealing
792. Thief
793. Booty
794. Barter
795. Purchase 796. Sale
797. Merchant
798. Merchandise
799. Mart
801. Treasurer
802. Treasury
803. Wealth 804. Poverty
636. Store
637. Provision
638. Waste
religion
976. Deity
977. Angel
978. Satan
979. Jupiter
980. Demon
981. Heaven 982. Hell
983. Theology
983a.Orthodoxy 984. Heterodoxy
985. Revelation
986. Pseudo-revelation
987. Piety 988. Impiety
989. Irreligion
990. Worship
991. Idolatry
992. Sorcery
993. Spell
994. Sorcerer
995. Churchdom
996. Clergy
997. Laity
998. Rite
999. Canonicals
technology
These are mostly attested by archeology and history:
727. Arms
262. Perforator
386. Furnace
388. Fuel
363. Interment
413. Melody, Concord 414. Discord
415. Music
416. Musician
417. Musical instruments
975. Scourge
847. Ornament
854. Fop
556. Painting
557. Sculpture
559. Artist
597. Poetry
371. Agriculture
1000. Temple
728. Arena
271. Carrier
272. Vehicle
273. Ship
269. Mariner
267. Navigation
190. Contents
191. Receptacle
590. Writing
561. Letter
553. Recorder
592. Correspondence
598. Prose
805. Credit 806. Debt
807. Payment 808. Nonpayment
809. Expenditure 810. Receipt
350. Conduit
351. Air pipe
263. Stopper
747. Scepter
875. Nobility 876. Commonalty
877. Title
558. Engraving
752. Prison
753. Keeper
754. Prisoner
114. Chronometry
595. Dissertation
596. Compendium
963. Legality 964. Illegality
965. Jurisprudence
966. Tribunal
967. Judge
968. Lawyer
969. Lawsuit
970. Acquittal 971. Condemnation
599. The Drama
800. Money
368. Zoology
369. Botany
593. Book
105. Infinity
445. Optical Instruments
591. Printing
389. Thermometer
387. Refrigeratory
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