Other recent articles under: Language as of Mar 3, 2010
Topic: Language
The Misuse of words
Imprecision of language leads to not understanding and confusion by SovereignJim
(libertarian)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I am repeatedly disgusted with imprecise, definitions for and uses of, a number of common words. The words greed and emotion come most often to mind. In what could be called commandment #1 of a list of moral codes defined by Confucius we have:
"Correct language. ....If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant. ....If what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be done remains undone. ....If this remains undone, then morals and acts deteriorate. ....If morals and acts deteriorate, justice will go astray. ....If justice goes astray, the people will stand about in helpless confusion. ....Hence, there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. ....This matters above everything."
In my own view of word definition and use, precision leads to understanding, while imprecision leads to misunderstanding and confusion.
For the word greed we have the following common dictionary definitions.
Greed: excessive desire for getting or having wealth---or---desire for more than one needs or deserves.
Greedy: wanting or taking all that one can get with no thought of other's needs---or---desiring more than one needs or deserves.
The imprecision here comes about by; "Who defines what an excessive desire is?", "Who decides what one needs?", "Who decides what other's needs are?". Precision can be found by concentrating on the word "deserves". "Deserves" means that what is deserved was earned without fraud. Therefore the word greed should be defined as: "desire for things not earned". Greedy should mean: "taking what is not earned---or---wanting what is not earned".
The word emotion has a set of confusing dictionary definitions. Check it out for yourself. The definition for emotion should be defined as a measure of the amount of energy associated with a particular feeling. "Emotion" is most often misused where the word feeling is meant. An example from a recent reading is "...is a self-directed emotion in which..." where feeling was clearly meant. Feeling is a word of precision and a particular emotion content can be assigned by discription when appropriate.
Thus greed as one of the seven deadly sins is better understood as "greed is taking something not earned". Your wanting more than what I think you need is NOT being greedy. A claim, of greed on your part, by me says more about my desire to control than anything it says about you.
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