(Reply to St Stephan's In Nomine Archivi)

Analytical statements are those in which the connection between the subject and the predicate is thought through identity

- KANT, Critic of Pure Reason, Introduction, sect. IV-

Analysis is a wonderful method for scientists and logicians. It has also been successfully used by Christian theology, from Anselm of Canterbury to St. Thomas and... St Stephan. His In Nomine Archivi is structured exactly in the analytical way. Now, analysis has the advantage that it explains what was already in the meaning of words, sentences and discourses, thus it bases itself on the principle of identity/non-contradiction and it is incontrovertible. To quote the famous example: when I say a triangle is a figure with three sides, the predicate reiterates what was already expressed in the concept of the subject, since all and only triangles are figures with three sides. The "is" in that statement appears to be an identity... But.

But, the triangle is not only a figure with three sides, it is also a figure with three angles, whose sum is 180°, etc. etc. This means that the predicate "figure with three sides" is included in the subject "triangle", but doesn't identify with it, for it expresses only a part of the meaning of the subject, given that "triangle" has many other properties besides the one of having three sides. So the "is" in the statement "A triangle is a figure with three sides" is in fact not an identity.

We despise the obvious, although it gives rise to the not obvious.

- LEIBNIZ, Letter to De Volder -

The Breast Expansion Archive is a breast expansion site. This is exactly an analytical statement, for the concept of BE, expressed by the predicate, was already inherent in the concept of the subject. This statement is so true and undeniable since it bases itself on the principle of identity/non-contradiction, the first law of truth and the basis of logic*. But the predicate is identical to a part of the meaning of the subject, thus the "is", again, is not an identity. This happens because, as our Saint pointed out and demonstrated through his analysis, The Breast Expansion Archive is not only a BE site but, more generally, a big breast site. Thus, it can include big breast pics which are not directly related to BE (not morphed).

Some parts of the BEA show ambiguity about it, beginning from the definition of the site. The definition of an object x is the statement that specifies the essence (essentia, quod quid erat esse), the concept of x. It is the answer to the question: "what is x?".

So, what is the Breast Expansion Archive?

What the hell are you doing? This is the Breast Expansion Archive: you must only enlarge breasts!

- E-mail of a fool, sent to me when I published some morphs that were not restricted to BE -

Here we find a strictly analytical definition:

The BEA is essentially [essentia = what the thing is] an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for anything that relates to breast expansion. The BEA provides a newsgroup (our forum), a public "incoming" directory (our user gallery), and various web sites that relate to breast expansion in some way.

Where are the big not expanded breasts? They don't appear. Such ambiguities have made some people think that the BEA is related only to expanded breasts. Our Saint has set the things straight in his wise and thoughtful article) already referred to. In so far as it is structured as an analysis of the BEA and what the site is about, his article is as much incontrovertible as the principle of identity... But.

But, after the analysis comes the synthesis, which is the empirical account. It cannot deny anything of what has been discovered analytically, but it can add something to it. Which is an oblique way to say that I'm going to speak pro metamorphosis once again.

Homo animal rationis compos

- Medieval definition of man,
based on the Aristotelian statement -

A definition is made, as is well known, by genus and by specific difference. For instance: man is a rational animal. Animal is the genus, to whom man belongs as well as cats, dogs, bees and dinosaurs. Rational is the specific difference, that makes man something unique and different: an animal that can calculate the square root of 2 or paint the Mona Lisa. Now, as Aristotle points out, the specific difference is exactly what expresses the essence of something, but it cannot simply exist on its own (also from a strictly logical point of view) without the genus. Man is man in so far as he is rational, but man is entirely, necessarily, and always, an animal. If he were simply and only rationality, he would not be a man anymore, but an angel or a god.

Big breasts are definitely what the BEA is about. They are its genus, to which it belongs as well as many (tons of) other websites. Furthermore, when it's about big (not expanded) breasts, few sites can compete with the BEA, because of its structure, in which visitors can contribute pictures and participate in a public Forum. Despite some mindworms always around, those two parts of the BEA are what makes many big boob fanatics love the site, even though they're not morphing enthusiasts.

What I assert is that BE is the specific difference of the Breast Expansion Archive, that which makes of it (and of very few other websites, such as Diana's Ladybumps - God bless her for hosting our magazine - or Wren Spot) a unique place among big breast sites.

You were not made to live like animals, But to follow virtue and knowledge.

- Dante Alighieri,
Inferno, XXVI, vv. 119-120 -

Essence, in the classical dynamic thought, is not something that is granted. It has to be realized, and it can be missed. Man can realize wonderful works through his rationality, but can also live simply like an animal.

The current (paradoxical) settlement of the BEA is structured in a way that doesn't help morphers to realize its essence, its specific difference. The Users’ Gallery is almost the only place where, as far as pics are concerned, free contents are available at the BEA. So, no surprise if 90% of the dialogue in the Forum (a place where people speak essentially of the free contents of the BEA, which can be accessed by 100 times the visitors that access members-only parts) is about non-morphed pics. This happens because 90% of the contributions are non-morphed. And 90% of the contributions are non-morphed because it takes several hours to do one good morph, while it takes ten minutes to upload a dozen non-morphed pics**.

Many morphers have left: sometimes because their reason to produce art was to share it with people, thus they couldn't accept its being available only to members. Sometimes they left because of lack of appreciation and feedback, although their stuff was blessed by thousands and thousands of page hits. A morpher needs and craves feedback because pictures are not self-morphing. It’s not enough just to push the button of a "morph" tool in ProtoSlop (sorry, PhotoShop), take a coffee break, and come back when the picture is ready. Computers are constantly becoming faster and faster and amazingly, incredibly powerful, and graphic software today can do almost anything with pictures. But they can't morph. The hand and mind and ability of man are still required. Thus, the difference between a non-morphed and a morphed pic (at least a good, carefully made morph, not a quickie) uploaded in the Users’ Gallery, is several hours of work. Work done for free and for pure passion.

The trouble, as you see, is the current situation of the BEA, which is something of a betrayal of the original purpose of the site. And while I think that this situation is what makes many morpher colleagues bitch (sometimes even too much) I am optimistic that things will improve as soon as morphs are more easily available for free and morphers see more enthusiasm and positive feedback. Meanwhile, there's nothing like tolerance to make morphers and non-morphers (i.e. two kinds of people that, with their contributions, make our BEloved site exist, and do it for free) live together in peace. And - said by a passionate morpher - nothing is easier to me than tolerating non-morphers, those nice guys who give me big breasts for free.