[1]i-m-ken-and-do-kenning Hi. My name is Ken.* I have been
defined by Nathan Bailey, 241 years before I was born, in 1731.*
Surprisingly accurately at that!* At a distance: Here on the
Internet.* I don't define things; I describe them.* Quite
superficially at that. Do our names make us who we are?* It's
one of those "Yes and no" answers.* Encoded in the very language
we use are concepts that have grown and changed but are more or
less embedded in how we think, both about ourselves and others.
We may not ever learn the origin of our names, yet related forms
of words and concepts do enter our consciousness at some level
and may shape somewhat the kinds of people we see ourselves to
be and shape how others treat us. Do names define us?* Certainly
not entirely, for we have genetic encoding which is something
that gives us our initial state, like dirt before anything is
planted in it.* All dirt is different and has unique nutrients
in it, which support different plant growth.* Yet dirt can
change both over time, through added fertilizer and by its
interacting with the plants that grow within it. But do names
have influence?* I believe so, but to fully trace the tangled
mess of concepts, understanding, language, society, culture, how
we name things and people and what they mean and what we think
they mean...* well... its asking a lot to untangle it all
perfectly. But I believe that it's possible and eventually,
we'll get these kinds of things sorted out.* Perhaps we already
have and I just don't know about it yet. I don't know the
essence or nature of things.* I can't define things.* But I can
describe, give an outward appearance, draw the form, represent,
explain.* Those things I can do.* At a distance.* Ken is good at
Kenning. :D [PS - I don't mean just personal names.* I'm
thinking of the nature of words themselves and meaning.* All of
them.]
References
Visible links
1.
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