"God" is overloaded [was Re: The Unfathomable]
Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@www.aeiveos.com)
Tue, 2 Nov 1999 14:52:48 -0800 (PST)
On Tue, 2 Nov 1999, M. E. Smith wrote:
> I agree, but a learned native English speaker should
> be aware that in the English language the word "God"
> is used this way.
>
Now this raises an interesting point regarding "language"
and meanings. The problem arises when you "overload" a
word. Are their languages that exist and differentiate
between things like:
- "the creator of the universe",
- "the source of all good (or evil)",
- "the laws that make things go"
- "the thing that provides the energy for life"
- "the thing that creates life"
- "the reason we should be good to one another"
"the easiest way to explain to children stuff you can't explain"
Perhaps one problem we have in discussing this stuff is
we have not defined accurately what we are discussing.
At least when I say 1 + 1 = 2, people know what I'm talking
about (unless you grew up in BinaryLand, then 1 + 1 = 10).
Robert