The Fork Analogy: A Perspective on Confusion
To some people a fork is intrinsically evil, because a pitch fork could impale someone. Others reflect that the true idea of the fork is as a cultural utensil, a piece of silverware with a more respectable reputation.
Now let's say that someone is confused, or at least his or her words are confusing. Some poeople might say the person is disturbed, while others may say that the difficulty arises from the complexity of what means to be expressed.
The first case is similar to the belief that all forks are pitch forks, while the second considers confusion as something more mundane and less dangerous, and at the same time useful in difficult situations. This is closer to the idea of all forks as table forks.
It seems to me that the second view is more enlightened. It is easier to control a table fork than a pitch fork, and people who embrace the idea of all forks as table forks consequently take greater charge of situations, serving the long term interests of all involved.
Return to Essays Main
The preceding, as well as all other parts of Nathan's Philosophy and Writing are pending copyright (c) 2006, Nathan Coppedge
Main Page
Essays Main
* Conc. & Abs.
* Iterative Philos.
* Unity Intro
* Imperfection
* Occam Dispute
* Nominal Mech.
* Res. Paradox
* Metamorphosis
* Essent. Principa
* Meta-Extension
* Meta Precis
* Meta Wrinkles
* Relevantism
* Relative Dispute
* Symbolism
* Wisdom Walks
* Pragma Temp.
* World consists
* Program. Antith
* Body Real Estate
* Four Corners
* Schizo def
* Moral 2d
* Eating Acrobats
* Fork Analogy
* Sloppy Thinking
Book of Indra
Unity Philosophy
Trans Ethics
On Systems
About Writing
Quotes & Slants
Intellectualia