Re: [Critical-Realism] deon

["Mervyn Hartwig" <mh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tobin

It seems you're right re "de" and "de-". I'll correct this in the next
edition if I get a chance. I agree that de-ont, though apparently a bastard,
is the right word for the job Bhaskar wants it to do, because it generates
the necessary contrast with "ont".

But I don't think you're right re "deon". You don't mention that "needful"
and "need" is part of the Liddell and Scott definition (under "deon"),
besides "binding", "right" etc, such that both of the ethical inflections
Bhaskar gives to "absence" (bind/constraint and need/lack) are indeed
present in this ancient Greek root.


Many thanks,

Mervyn



-----Original Message-----
From: critical-realism-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:critical-realism-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tobin
Nellhaus
Sent: 09 December 2007 16:12
To: Continuation of the Spoon Bhaskar List
Subject: Re: [Critical-Realism] deon

Hi Mervyn--

There are two "de" terms in classical Greek: one is a conjunction (roughly 
"but"), and the other is a suffix ("-de" means "-ward," as in "homeward"). 
Liddell & Scott don't indicate that either was ever used in a prefix-like 
manner (there is no "de-" in Greek).  None of the dictionaries I checked 
showed that either Greek word, or anything else, lies behind the Latin 
"de-": the latter developed independently and the similar sound is 
coincidental.  So "de-ont" does combine Latin & Greek.

"Deon" is a participle of the root verb "dei" ("to be binding, one ought, 
etc").  "Dei" is unrelated to either "de" term in Greek.  The "-on" part of 
"deon" is comparable to the English "-ing" and has no connection to "ont." 
So the situation is rather like taking the participle "thinking," and saying

that it comes from the roots "thin" and "king" because thinking involves 
mastering refinements.  It makes sense, but it's incorrect.

It's true, having access to major reference sources has its benefits. 
Digging around in the full Liddell & Scott online in order to confirm what's

in my intermediate edition, to my surprise they treat the verbs "deo" (to 
bind) and "deo" (to need) as *separate* words.  You can confirm this in your

version (that's an omega at the end, not an omicron); again, the translation

is tricky.

Incidentally, if one wanted to use the Greek privative "a-" in front of 
"ont," the result might be "anont" (not "a-ont") or something along those 
lines ... which is certainly no more mellifluous!  As far as utterability 
goes, "de-ont" is probably the best one can get.  I'm not sure what the 
actual Greek word for "absence" is, but it might be "apousia."

Thanks,

Tobin




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