3. GROUNDLESSNESS AND COEMERGENCE

Algebraic semiotics might seem to conflict with claim that design is groundless.

But this arises from implicit mathematical Platonism,
   vs. continual groundless social reconstruction of world/meaning.

This reconstruction is Buddhist pratityasamutpada,
literally "dependent arising", translated codependence or coemergence (Dogen Zenji).

Nothing exists by itself, but everything is interdependent; i.e., arises with other things.

Lack of ground follows from coemergence.

Nishitani says much Western history is progressive doubt of absolutes;
he identifies two extreme responses:

1. nihilism, absolute relativity, denial of any meaning;
2. absolutism, denial of the questioning.

Our use of mathematical formalisms is pragmatic, agile, flexible, and adaptive, not absolute, rigid, and reductionist, but far from arbitrary.