Meaning | ||
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What is meaning?
'Meaning' is the significance we ascribe to phenomena. It does not exist
in its own right.
We create meaning through our interpretation of
reality. The way in which we see things
determines meaning.
Our beliefs, values, education, culture and
intelligence all contribute to meaning.
This makes meaning ambiguous and relative.
Two people could encounter the same phenomenon and
attribute it with an entirely different meaning to one another.
Intention
What is intended by somebody is subject to
interpretation.
Motives can only be imagined, they cannot be known - people lie, they mislead,
they withhold...
Even the clearest statement with the most unequivocal use of
language is subject to misunderstanding because it is based upon
assumptions. Wars happen over meaning.
Significance
Significance is about highlighting the feature we wish to draw attention
to.
Typically, people attribute significance relative to their own personal values
and interests.
For example: two people look at the same scene and both interpret the event
differently. How come?
The significance of the event is subject to individual background, how much
attention is being paid, meaning and perspective.
Meaning has its limits
People have speculated on the meaning of life for
millennia; but the question is an inherent
contradiction.
Any answer can only exist within the context and framework of
life, and therefore be partial.
The question is fundamentally flawed because it assumes a common definition of
'meaning' when meaning itself is beyond definition. What do you mean by 'meaning'?
Context
Our upbringing, cultural values and education are instrumental in
building our way of thinking.
Whilst the configuration of each individual's value system may be considered
unique, the component parts are not; for they have arisen from a common cultural
experience: the past.
All context assumes a past experience.
Whether you are political, religious, competitive or anarchic, all of those
perceptions are a consequence of the past.
They are a response to something that has already happened.
Interpretation
The meaning of something is interpreted
relative to what we already know.
We attribute significance to phenomena based upon the past.
Knowledge comes from the past; it is the foundation of our perceptual
experience.
Effect
Events affect us in different ways.
The effect of phenomena is relative to the individual.
Consider:
Your friend swears at you and you grin in return. A stranger swears at you
and you feel upset.
Although the two events are not identical, the message communicated is
superficially the same - abuse is being expressed.
We may accept abuse from a friend believing it to be in good humour, whilst a
stranger is different because the context is unknown.
The messages are changed by our interpretation
of the event and this determines the effect.
Perspective
Your perspective changes everything.
This is why Taoism and
Zen seek to whittle away at the 'self' in the hope
of producing an unbiased interaction with the real.
Ambiguity
Ambiguity is the source of tremendous fun,
mischief and problems.
Meaning is inherently ambiguous.
Its very nature precludes this possibility; meaning is protean and relative.
Why are so many tai chi schools
performing a different art? They all see it
differently and
value different things.
Clarity
Clarity is also relative to meaning.
As clear as you may believe yourself to be, you must allow for the
listener, for the reader.
They may find a wildly different meaning to you.
The Tai Chi Classics are far from definitive; the
treatise suggest favourable qualities but seldom elaborate upon the
means. Understanding can only be found through
the exploration of the art.
Essentially, the task of any student is to re-invent
the art, re-discover it afresh.
Can you afford to accept what somebody else thinks,
knowing that their understanding of the meaning cannot be the only one?
Message
When you are planning to provide a message, it is important to break it
down into constituent parts and explain each
thoroughly.
Make no assumptions concerning prior knowledge
or experience.
This helps to provide a background context.
Unfortunately, this is not always feasible and in some cases, prior knowledge
may exist.
If you can offer a select facet for study,
the focus is clearer and there is less room for interpretation.
Meaning can be uncovered within a limited sphere and the various
possibilities explored.
The difficult then lies with the re-integration of the component with the
whole.
Purpose
Even if you imagine that you have a clear purpose, this will be
underscored by a variety of unspoken
considerations and assumed values.
Few things are distinct, sharp
and clear - we do not act in isolation.
Consider a photograph.
There is nearly always a background.
The focus of the picture is not independent of that background; they exist
together as one.
It is useful to remember that everything in life is connected to everything else
and that meaning cannot be separated from context.
Meditation
Meditation is a condition of seeing that
arises from the removal of the 'self'.
When you no longer think, you do not differentiate between this and that, self
and other, here and there, then and now...
Meaning is no longer relevant because the phenomena is not being interpreted.
Page created
18 March 1997
Last updated
16 June 2023
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