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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