Cheerskep (and others): Cheerskep wrote: ".... in everyday,
non-philosophical
conversation they can be excellently serviceable". That's most of what I've
had a notion about.
Or, most about what I've had a notion. ; - )
Geoff C
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Appreciating art
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 17:31:59 EST
In a message dated 11/6/08 10:48:00 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Oop. Busted. I didn't really mean that, you know. (And, Cheerskep,
> don't jump on my using the word "mean," okay?) :-)
>
Generous and forgiving guy that I am, I've already conceded we can
serviceably use the words 'meaning' and 'to mean' like this: A person can
"mean" in
the sense of wanting to convey notion.
"I don't follow that. What do mean, Jack?"
"Here's what I mean. . ." And Jack tries again to describe the notion he
wants to convey.
My guess is part of the reluctance to accept that that objects like words
and
paintings don't "mean" comes from the sense that I am, let's say, demeaning
them.
Predictably, I don't look at it that way. Certainly it doesn't demean the
painter. If anything, just the opposite -- especially the "non-realistic"
painter
who does not reproduce with exactitude exactly what he sees. Consider the
creators of Japanese rock gardens. It's what the artist does with the
stones
that
creates the impact. Each stone, by itself, occasions very little
interesting
notion in the contemplators mind.
Same with a good writer. As with a painter, he has an effectively infinite
number of strokes to choose from, and all around him others are choosing
all
the
time, and to no great effect. You can't name a word that, all by itself,
occasions an a.e. So, even more than the choice of the word, it's their
placement, their setting among other words, that makes for the ultimate
effect. And
this is what the "artist" does.
We can use the noun "meaning" to label the notion the writer/speaker is
trying to convey -- or the notion that arises in one's head when sensing or
"thinking about" something. In any usage, those words -- 'to mean' and
'meaning' --
are liable to occasion some confusion, but in everyday, non-philosophical
conversation they can be excellently serviceable.
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