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(mini) Exploration of the Prologue
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Excerpt from Tripping in the Noumena - Prologue -- lines 7 & 8
Words are never "objects", or TRUE "reality" --------- Rather,
They are merely "symbols" for the things we "think" we see.
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However ----- what happens when you don't know what the "symbol" stands for ???
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As a separate little "teaching tool", please consider the following phrase:
Without "semantic impact" ----- WORDS have no meaning !!!
This phrase suggests that you can listen to people "chatter away" in a foreign language without being affected
to any considerable degree. Their "words" simply do not
mean anything because these "symbols" do not
"impact" on the part of your brain trained to interpret the relationship of the
symbols to YOUR reality.
However ----- "training your brain" to associate words with some particular viewpoint of reality presents its own
set of problems. It is entirely possible for people to be "conditioned" in such a manner that certain "words"
will impact on them in a certain way ----- and, thus these people can then be manipulated by others
who quite fully understand how to use those certain words to create that specific impact --
(one of the key elements in effective advertising)
This is, also, one of the primary factors to be found in
every "prejudice" and/or "bias" invented by Man.
AND, it is the underlying principle of the "Aesopian language".
NOTE: IF you do not know what the "Aesopian language" is ---- you might
want to find out (via your dictionary?) -- because politicians -- and
the media -- are "experts" in this form of "dissembling".
"Meaningful Words" -- used separately or in conjunction with other symbolic forms -- are powerful "tools".
These "tools" can either be used to enhance the quality of human existence --
or, they can be used to detract from the quality of human existence.
However -- the "tools" themselves do nothing -----
it is the "user" of each tool who determines its use -- AND, its (possible) impact on others.
On the other side of that same "coin" is the fact that -- with sufficient conditioning -- people tend to stop
thinking about the "meaning of words";
and just "react".
For instance -- let's take the word "sound".
"Every one KNOWS what "SOUND" means !!!!! ----- so why "talk" about it ?????"
OK !! -- As a little "test", each viewer of this page is invited to
respond the the following -- ages old -- question:
Deep in the forest -- where trees grow tall -----
upon occasion, one may happen to fall.
Now ----- IF thee (or we) were NOT around -----
would that falling tree create any "sound"?
The "test, here, is two-fold:
(1) Your basic answer should be either Yes -- or No . ----- Then,
(2) You need to create a "logical argument" that will defend your position in a hypothetical debate.
To view MY "answer" -- and "argument" --
just "click" on my "answer key"
AHLEC's SPECIAL NOTES:
I would like you to understand that the reason for this page is NOT to convince you --
one way or another -- about whether "sound" is produced by the falling tree.
Rather, this page exists to demonstrate how various "teaching-
learning tools", contained in this website, may provide
a starting-point for further exploration by those
who Dare to Think.
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Last Reviewed: January 01, 2009
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