The definition of terms is required so that we can be on the same page of understanding about something we are talking about. A word-symbol is imbued with meaning to reflect something about reality (or even unreality).
Etymology reveals the true meaning of words. Words reflect something we are trying to communicate about reality.
Many people use many words, yet don't really know what they mean and how they were created to reflect an understanding of reality. The words objective and subjective are not understood by people due to not having an understanding of the true meaning of the word through etymology.
Digging into the etymology of the words objective and subjective shows exactly what they mean.
1610s, originally in the philosophical sense of "considered in relation to its object" (opposite of subjective)
Meaning "impersonal, unbiased" is first found 1855
late 14c., "tangible thing, something perceived or presented to the senses,"
Latin obiectus "lying before, opposite", obicere "to present, oppose, cast in the way of"
from ob "in front of, towards, against" (see ob-) + iacere "to throw"
c. 1500, submissive or obedient
In early Modern English as "existing, real;" more restricted meaning "existing in the mind" (the mind as "the thinking subject") is from 1707
- pertaining to subjects
- based upon subjective feelings or intuition
- pertaining to personal mindsets or experience
- lacking in reality or substance
early 14c., "person under control or dominion of another,"
subiectus "lying under, below, near bordering on," figuratively "subjected, subdued"
subiicere "to place under, throw under, bind under; to make subject, subordinate,
"A subject is one who perceives or is aware; an object is the thing perceived or the thing that the subject is aware of."
Elaboration of Etymology
The meaning of the roots object and subject even reflect the purpose and meaning of objective and subjective.
The meaning as applied to an understanding of an individual subjective time and space point-of-reference, is for it to be submissive to the overarching objective reality within which it subsides.
The individual subject is submissive and obedient to the universal "object" and "master": reality, existence or truth. "All is One". All (everything that 'is', truth, reality, existence) is One (uni-verse, turned in to one). That is the "master" grouping order that we are a part of: "One Truth" as a universal grouping concept within which that are many particular specific truths. We as consciousness subjects, are also subjects as specific objects which subside within the larger objective universe (many as part of the "all one").
We don't dictate what is in reality at our whims or fanciful fantasies. There is an objective reality that we don't simply control outright, but can alter or change through our actions with wise understanding or foolish confusion.
Similarly, you can't simply define a word to mean anything you want after it has already been imbued with specific meaning to reflect and reference something in reality or unreality. That creates confusion. If everyone did that at their whim, then words would have no specific definition and could mean anything. Then we wouldn't be able to communicate about anything.
Definitions are crucial.
Definitions de-finite the almost infinite array of diversity, multiplicity and variability in the universe, reality and existence.
Reality, existence and truth will stand in our way as an opposer to our falser ways and knowledge. If we want to be fools and live in an unreal, false and lower way of living that goes against principles we can discover, then we are only setting ourselves up against successful alignment with reality. We essentially ignore the obstacles that are thrown at us when the consequences are reaped for the actions we sowed. We don't learn from our mistakes or think of the consequences ahead of time.
We are our own worst enemies.
We fool ourselves.
We judge, offend and insult ourselves by going against reality, existence and truth.
We are submissive to the forces in reality and existence that form part of the overall truth of what 'is'. Denying our position in reality only leads to ignorance, contradiction, confusion, control and chaos, all from the fear of recognizing truth that children can plainly understand. Abstractions of higher order consciousness processing can fool us all too easily and take us away from the grounding in reality and truth.
Aligning ourselves with truth means to align our subjective perception of reality, the map of reality, with the actual objective territory of reality that exists.
Our subjective perception of reality needs to be aligned and brought into harmony and equilibrium with objective reality.
We are not to place ourselves above reality, existence or truth, and we can't, because we are within reality and existence.
Cause and effect are felt within the ebbs and flows of interacting forces, such as causal agents like ourselves. We are placed under reality, not above it. We are subordinate to reality, existence and truth. We don't magically create the literal world around us. We don't dictate and invent 2+2=5. Reality shows us that 2+2=4 as we discover truth about reality and existence.
We are not above and beyond reality or existence, therefore, we are subject to what happens in reality.
The words objective and subjective reflect this meaning directly in the etymology.
Learn the true meaning of words to have a more accurate understanding of how to relate, reference and reflect the objective reality we share in common through word-symbols, language and communication.
This is the general understanding from the etymology. I may get more into specific contextual meanings (which create additional confusion) in forthcoming work.
Seek truth. Understand the true meaning and definition of words. They shape our conceptual understanding of reality and can be used for mind control to manipulate, deceive, fool, dupe, bamboozle, hoodwink, con and trick us.
Ignorance begets confusion. Confusion begets control. Control begets chaos.
Look at our world of coercive authoritarian external control. We are ignorant and confused and this has led to control worldwide, leading us into increasing chaos under an illusion of "order". Words matter. They shape our understanding and perception of ourselves and the world.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”
– Ludwig Wittgenstein
This is the point behind “newspeak” in Orwell’s 1984, to obfuscate and confuse the meaning of reality and limit the degree of conception we can invoke from it, thereby limiting consciousness and keeping it under control, mind control.
Manipulation is magic, as my previous posts have demonstrated. Don't let these spells get cast on your consciousness!
Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.
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@krnel
2017-01-10, 12pm
IMO, the most important study for developing peace... Nice post.
:) If we don't even have the same definitions, we aren't going anywhere. Thanks for the feedback.
Agreed! Am so greatful to everyone who is willing to slow down their speech and look^^
At work, so I don't have the time to fully read the whole post, but I upvoted you just because of that line alone.
It's at the very center of a lot of our issues in today's world: the fact that terms have such varied meanings to different people.
Take racism for instance.
For one, racism means violently attacking people of a specific ethnic background; for the other, it means merely disliking people of a specific ethnic background.
The two get into an argument about racism, and neither specifies what it is that they mean by the term "racism".
It's obvious why they won't come to any kind of mutual understanding: one is talking about apples and the other about oranges.
But they both think they are talking about bananas.
I'll read the post more thoroughly in an hour or so.
Good topic.
Indeed, semantic misunderstandings are a root of conflict in most cases. Thanks for the feedback.
Good job, great article and nice read in the morning with some green tea. Keep up the great work and efforts @krnel.
Thanks :)
Yes, this is true. Even when people use the same words, the inner content of those words, or if you prefer, meaning, is completely different. This very problem is expressed in the story of The Fall of the Tower of Babel --- confusion of tongues.
Upvoted and resteemed
-Homa
Ludwig Wittgenstein was ++good.
good one. when the difference between subject, object and action is lost, we can be truly happy :)
Amazing
Nice post
Flagged for double spammy comments. I also looked at your other comments and this is all you add to conversations, like a robot.
indeed wrong
That's great!