What is a tractor?

[Yankee]

Existentialist? Could be, I suppose, but the phrasing is that of Objectivism, apparently mixed with a bit of stuff out of object-oriented software development (believe it or not). Given the "Libertine" name, raising obvious Libertarian associations, it makes sense. I don't know a person on the planet who uses the word "epistemology" who hasn't read Leonard Peikoff.

 

[familyman]

From the magazine, farm&ranch (ask Rusty); tracto ... to drag along...

 

[Hypernix]

Wow it's amazing how things can get out of hand real fast when you think too much! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

To me, a Tractor is a tool I use to get the job done! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

And of course let's not forget to have a little fun with the tractor just once in while /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Hypernix

 

[tracdoc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I take exception to Liberine's authoring of the original post. It smacks of someone trying, through the use of an expanded vocabulary, to elevate themselves to an intellectual plateau, while excluding many others, who may not know such words.....
Just remember that true intelligence is the ability to communicate to all levels, not the ability to reference a thesaurus.....
Why not start this post over in a more inclusionary tone.)</font>

Very well stated Neilly2!! --a modern day Alexander Pope. His "Essay on Criticism" (~1710) put it as:
"A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not of the Pierian spring. There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again."

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I haven't read all of the relies here so I may be repeating something someone else mentioned, but here's my take on it.

Along with all of the far better answers here I've found my tractor to be such as (I'm guessing) a neat toy, a wonderful tool, a source of pride, a place for great therapy and lots of other things, I've also likened it to a membership to something like Sam's Club or Costco.

Just like those memberships, my tractor is not a whole lot of good in and of itself other than (at least in my case) a very slow form of transportation. It is, however, just like those membership cards, something I spent money for that is essentially a license to spend even more money.

Think about it. Once you have a tractor, then you have a reason to go buy any number of things for it possibly totaling more money than your original investment.

I have nowhere to go with this. It's just something I've thought about every time I look at the implements and attachments I have or, more likely, when I look at those I want. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[MicroPilot]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Once you have a tractor, then you have a reason to go buy any number of things for it possibly totaling more money than your original investment.)</font>

Yea, it seems that whatever the job is, theres an implement for the tractor to get it done.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue">my contextual definition of a tractor is a mechanical, self propelled, universal power source used to power other tools and implements. The closer that a particular class of objects (things) conforms to this definition, the more reasonably it might be referred to (pointed to) by the word symbol “tractor.” The further away, the less applicable it is. </font>

I agree. Except I would edit it to read:

<font color="green"> a tractor is a self propelled machine used to power implements </font>

The reason I took out "mechanical" is because I associate machine with mechanical, so that would be redundant.

The reason I took out "universal" is because nothing is good at everything and there will always be the need for small, medium and large tractors. Since they are different sizes, they cannot be universal.

The reason I changed "power source" to machine is because it sounded redundant to say "power source used to power"... kind of like "hot water heater".

And the reason I removed "other tools" is because I consider tools and implements to be the same thing.

So, just about any machine that can move itself and supply power for an impelment could be a tractor.

<ul type="square"> [*] A little lawn tractor with a mid mount deck pulling a leaf sweeper.
[*]A Gravely with a plow or mower deck.
[*]A small CUT with mid mount deck and a box blade.
[*]A large TLB.
[*]A semi tractor.
[*]A Unimog.
[*]A Pickup truck with a trailer or snow blade.
[*]Even a car with a tow strap pulling another out of a ditch. [/list]
As long as it is self propelled and provides power to an implement, at that moment, it is a tractor. Sure, the common thought of associating the word "tractor" with the "large wheels in back pulling a plow" will always be there and should be. That's what the majority of folks here at TBN associate the word "tractor" with. That's what I associate it with. We should just be a little more open minded and broaden the use of the word to include more than just that one picture that we have in our minds of a tractor.

I won't get into the definition of the word "power" as I could then cloud the whole issue like this...

My car is self propelled.
My car has a power inverter.
My car is supplying power to an AC hedge trimmer.
My hedge trimmer is an implement.
Therefore, my car is a tractor.

Where's Red Green when you need him? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Yankee]

"So, my contextual definition of a tractor is a mechanical, self propelled, universal power source used to power other tools and implements. ... Perhaps you have a better definition for the word symbol “tractor.” If so, let’s hear it. "

Getting past all the discussion about the discussion, I think you have a pretty good definition. I like it, but would pick over a few things. For instance, a tractor at work isn't necessarily powering another tool. Consider a tractor towing a wagon. It's not powering it except in the loosest possible sense. It's performing work in transporting it about, but is it "powering" it? Tractors are also used merely as transport, e.g., as general-purpose farm vehicles.

What about integral component use? Your definition seems to envision implements, attachments primarily. Is a given tractor, as manufactured, inclusive of all of its parts in its "tractorness"? Is a tractor being a tractor when it's used as a self-contained light source, using the headlights, for example?

The "other tools" part of your definition is problematic. Some tractors are only used with integrally-assembled tools; TLBs, bulldozers, etc. In one sense that leads back to your definition. Special denomination (e.g., bulldozer) implies that they aren't really tractors anymore, somehow. On the other hand, they ARE tools attached to what we would otherwise understand as a tractor. Perhaps the "other" tools should be "attachable" tools or some such.

You might have to further refine "mechanical" and the notion of what it means to "power" other tools. Further, "power" and "universal" would have to be contextually-defined according to (a) standard(s), such as 3ph, PTO, etc., else a self-propelled generator would fit the definition. (So would a ski boat, for that matter, but let's not get TOO far afield.) Is the essence of mechanical in the means of propulsion, tool powering, or just what?

The more I think of it, the more I think another poster was right - the essence is in traction, somehow, not in tool usage. I agree that a tractor must be self-propelled, but I'd say by means of a mounted motor (IC, steam, electric, hydraulic, etc.). I'd limit its propulsive means to tires only (meaning a crawler "tractor" is really another animal). Steering, in addition to the tractor being motor-driven, would have to be mechanical. It would have to be purpose-built to provide traction in difficult circumstances (e.g., ag use, snow, etc.) *while drawing a load*.

 

[jdmar]

<font color="blue"> My car is self propelled.
My car has a power inverter.
My car is supplying power to an AC hedge trimmer.
My hedge trimmer is an implement.
Therefore, my car is a tractor.
</font>

Reminds me of an old (and bad) story of my father's.....proving that a lazy dog was nearly the same as a piece of writing paper.

A lazy dog is a slow pup.
A slope up in an inclined plane.
An ink-lined plane is a piece of writing paper.

hmmm

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">A lazy dog is a slow pup.
A slope up in an inclined plane.
An ink-lined plane is a piece of writing paper.

hmmm </font> is what we sing in church... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif