The word “is” can be seen as a metaphor
Since language can be seen as a kind of metaphor, consider the word “is” in the sense of essentialist identification — as in A is a B. This appears very useful mathematically, because numbers of a mathematical set exist abstractly, but what about when the word as applied to sensory events? Consider pronouncements such as “this is a great work of art,” “this is meaningless drivel,” “this is Communism,” “this is fascism,” “this is sexism.” When we consider that because perception is not absolute, all of our ideas are somewhat conjectural and inferential, such statements should be a bit more complicated—e.g. “this seems like a great work of art to me,” this seems like meaningless drivel to me,” “this seems like Communism to me,” “this seems like fascism to me,” “this seems like sexism to me.”
Of course, when this is pointed out, people will say that the latter formulations are what they really mean and that the essentialist “is” was only used for convenience or brevity. But if you observe such people carefully, you will notice that language does indeed have hypnotic effects, and when someone who says “this is sacred” will treat something as if it really is sacred, and those who say “this is crap” will treat something as if it really were crap.
References
- Wilson, A., Robert (1986). The New Inquisition Chapter 1 Models, Metaphors, and Idols (Page 24 · Location 392). Grand Junction, Colorado: Hilaritas Press
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Type:🔴 Tags: Psychology / Semantics / Neuroscience / Philosophy / Epistemology Status:☀️