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ADDITIONAL SIDETRACKS FOR WHO FANCIES THEM AS SUCH: 1. The meaning of the concept 'meaning'. As an addition to the first theory, let's take a step back and reflect on the meaning of the concept 'meaning'. 'Meaning' is a concept that is only of meaning for the entity giving it and the entity receiving it. Therefore the concept is only of meaning for entities able of sufficient cognitive thought (not necessarily verbal thought) in order to grasp and apply the concept at hand. This means that to entities inept of such thought the concept of meaning is a mute one, leaving them as entities without an inherent raison d'être. They don't find meaning in themselves or in any other entity, they merely exist for existence itself (if even that1) on a behavioural level without giving it a second thought. Those entities merely 'exist' as a mean for other entities to whichever end. They don't exist on their own2, merely in their relation to other entities assigning meaning and use to them. Entities that get their meaning from other entities can be defined as 'tools'. In reference to the first theory, one can argue that all entities are tools to any and all entities applying the concept of meaning and passively extract their meaning out of that notion3. In conclusion this means that all entities have meaning, use and thus a raison d'être; yet for some entities this meaning is restricted to that of 'tool', defined as being a meaning provided by other entities4. Notes: 1 One could defend the argument that inanimate entities are not able of any thought and thus don't exist consciously. 2 An important side note is that those entities do exist on their own, yet not on a meaningful level. Obviously they take up space and such, though the act of taking up space doesn't have any meaning to them. It has meaning to any and all entities consciously existing on an (un)conscious level and on a conscious level to any and all entities applying the concept of 'meaning' to it. 3 If not in any other form, this meaning is at the least provided by being connected through space at a certain moment in time, as described in the theory. This connection and thus meaning can be conscious or unconscious for both the entity providing it and the entity receiving it. 4Not defined as 'something you can do as you please with', as something that's your asigned or inherited possession. |