You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
RE: Liberty or Freedom? Moral or Ethical? How the language influences our perception of the world.
Expansion of language brings out invaluable nuance by increasing the perspectival apprehension of the world. When we ignorantly or heedlessly use words, we don't speak new understanding or enable greater understanding.
Those three pairs of words are common examples where nuance is confused and goes unappreciated b/c the words are thoughtlessly used. After closely examining their significations, readers I hope will conduct themselves more carefully when choosing their words.
Arguments are more fruitful and more civil when we speak carefully and clearly and the same language. The differences that show themselves then are sharper (though not fundamental) and more interesting (b/c they can be bridged).
So is. With written language there will always be a degree of uncertainty, although if we try to use words with their correct meaning, or with the meaning most attached to it, perhaps we can reduce such uncertainty to a very low level.