Consider an idea: a unicorn, justice, the notion of an idea itself, pi, centaurs, "substance," etc, etc, etc... Ideas, as such, dictate a lot of our thinking and even more importantly or dreams and aspirations. There has been much written about "ideas." Locke put a lot of time into them. Simple ideas.
What do we do with ideas? What do we call them? Notions, concepts, dreams? These are things (in perhaps the loosest since of the term) that play a huge role in all things. But WHAT is there ontological status? This is a stupid question. If there is an answer it will never be one that is discovered or agreed upon. So what can we do with ideas? And this is exactly my point, we DO things with ideas. Whether or not we can decide WHAT they are we do not stop that from doing things, important things with them. This is an important point I believe. We do the same thing with a lots of things: language is an important one. What is language and where does it derive its meanings? To some extent who cares? We do not stop using it because we haven't quite pinned down its definition. Its functionality was never in dispute.
Oh well, just one of those things I think about....
ps-Something else I also think about: Why are ideas symbolized by light bulbs?
1 comment:
Ideas only insofar as they are materially realized. Otherwise, they are mind farts, which have no ontological status whatsoever. But, if we can get someone to smell the flatulence...
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