Categories Are Meaningful: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life
Common sense or, as cognitive science labels it, folk theory informs us that “all things are a kind of thing. All things have in common with other things certain characteristics; i.e. all things belong in categories with other like things. Things are categorized together based upon what they have in common. It might be worth while to think of category as being a container.
In classical or conventional terms we categorize things in accordance with what are regarded as being that which is essential to that kind of thing. All things that are essentially the same fall into the same category. What is essential to a tree is that which is necessary and sufficient for that thing to be classified as a tree. To categorize a thing, i.e. define a thing, is to give its essential characteristics.
In some way or another all creatures must categorize. At a minimum all creatures must distinguish friend from foe or eat and not eat. Categorization is part of the fundamental needs for survival of the creature. If the mouse mistakes a snake for a stick that mouse becomes toast; the same categorization problem applies to the lion and to the man.
Categorization is meaningful. Meaning is not a thing; something is meaningful for a creature only when there is an association between that thing and the creature. “Meaningfulness derives from the experience of functioning as a being of a certain sort in an environment of a certain sort. It is meaningful to a soldier when s/he mistakenly categorizes a tank to be only a harmless tree or an enemy to be a friend.
There is nothing more meaningful for a creatures’ survival than correct categorization of the world in which that creature lives.
When does a human female egg fertilized by a human male sperm become a person?
Quotes from “Metaphors We Live By George Lakoff and Mark Johnson
Categories Are Meaningful: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life
Categories Are Meaningful: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life
Humans categorize both consciously and unconsciously; all other creatures categorize only unconsciously.
The important matter that needs attention are these unconscious categories and the brain processes associated with them that are part of the animal nature that we humans inherit.
When we learn how categories are created by our ancestors, the other animals, we will better understand why we do what we do. The empirical work done in the last 30 years by cognitive science has uncovered these matters and we are now in the position to better understand our brain activities as we try to comprehend the world we live in.
The important matter that needs attention are these unconscious categories and the brain processes associated with them that are part of the animal nature that we humans inherit.
When we learn how categories are created by our ancestors, the other animals, we will better understand why we do what we do. The empirical work done in the last 30 years by cognitive science has uncovered these matters and we are now in the position to better understand our brain activities as we try to comprehend the world we live in.
Categories Are Meaningful: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life
If you don't want this to become an abortion debate you might clarify how the pro-choice and pro-life factors fit in with your comments on the mind.
Categories Are Meaningful: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life
koan;771977 wrote: If you don't want this to become an abortion debate you might clarify how the pro-choice and pro-life factors fit in with your comments on the mind.
I am trying to help the reader understand the importance of categorization. To make categorization meaningful to the reader I ask the question What is a person? Some people use theology and some use science to make this categorization. Whatever they use they will grasp immediatly that categorization is indeed meaningful.
I am trying to help the reader understand the importance of categorization. To make categorization meaningful to the reader I ask the question What is a person? Some people use theology and some use science to make this categorization. Whatever they use they will grasp immediatly that categorization is indeed meaningful.
Categories Are Meaningful: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life
Interesting.
When categorizing words they are chosen very carefully to create an image that is either positive or negative.
The example you gave: Pro-Life or Pro-Choice
Is the opposite of Pro- Life Pro-Choice? No if all things are equal as a comparison it should be either: Pro-Life vs Pro-Death, or Pro-Choice vs Pro- No Choice. But there is not relationship between ‘Life’ and ‘Choice’. So it depends on the individual’s interpretation.
The ‘Pro-Choice’, use this term as it creates a positive visualisation of Freedom of Choice, and gives the illusion of empowerment by giving the power of decision.
It would not be as effective if it was ‘Pro-Abortion’, because that gives a negative connotation, and would not help the cause.
Pro-Life is straight forward, it says what it means.
When categorizing words they are chosen very carefully to create an image that is either positive or negative.
The example you gave: Pro-Life or Pro-Choice
Is the opposite of Pro- Life Pro-Choice? No if all things are equal as a comparison it should be either: Pro-Life vs Pro-Death, or Pro-Choice vs Pro- No Choice. But there is not relationship between ‘Life’ and ‘Choice’. So it depends on the individual’s interpretation.
The ‘Pro-Choice’, use this term as it creates a positive visualisation of Freedom of Choice, and gives the illusion of empowerment by giving the power of decision.
It would not be as effective if it was ‘Pro-Abortion’, because that gives a negative connotation, and would not help the cause.
Pro-Life is straight forward, it says what it means.