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The Fuzz word
According to New
Oxford Dictionary opinion, a word is defined as: a single distinct meaningful
element of speech or writing; or as: a single distinct conceptual unit of
language. For ‘an
element of speech’ read: a (complete) sound bite For ‘an
element of writing’ read: an ended (hence quantised) non-linear scratch. For ‘fuzzy’ read: unclear, foggy, cloudy, therefore incomplete and uncertain. A fuzz word is a single indistinct
because multiple meaning element of speech or writing, and so on. A fuzz word appears to the naïve hearer as a distinct, single
meaning word because the hearer (or reader) does not discriminate. Basically
what happens is that the naïve hearer (or reader) superimposes her (or his)
own meaning, derived from his or her own experience, upon the word, thereby
making it distinct (hence a unit). In principle, every word is fuzzy in that every word is a metaphor,
that is to say, a word merely stands for (i.e. symbolises or iconises) a
(complex) personal experience but is not actually that experience. A
word is an arbitrary sound bite (or scratch mark) on an arbitrary map that is
not an actual territory. Hence the actual meaning of a word changes from
territory (i.e. from user) to territory (i.e. to user). In practice, a word is fuzzy if and when it conveys multiple meanings or concepts. Obviously,
such words as ‘home’, ‘I’, ‘car’, ‘heaven’ or ‘God’ are fuzzy. A fuzz word is created if and when an experience is fuzzy. Since it presents as a single unit, it initially appears distinct
(i.e. closed), thereby suggesting that the experience (hence personal
meaning) it symbolises is also distinct. A distinct
(because ended, closed) word (i.e. a symbolic surface structure) is created
to symbolize a (usually vast, complex and every changing) fuzzy experience in
order to close, end or limit that experience and make it manageable. A non-fuzzy
(i.e. a closed or unitised experience symbolised with a) word becomes fuzzy (i.e. open ended, uncertain, hence of diminishing semantic content)
if and when it symbolises many different meanings derived from many different
experiences. A non-fuzzy
word usually becomes fuzzy if and when it is examined
discretely to recover the original experience it symbolises. Politicians (who
seek to control and manipulate the outer life) and priests (who seek to
control and manipulate the inner life) use fuzz
words (fundamentally
red herrings) deliberately either to
indicate a general direction (or experience) but avoid a clear goal (and
responsibility for failure), or to confuse or create anxiety or fear, the
latter functions being their primary mode of sustaining control and power
over the confused and anxious. The Buddha’s
most expedient fuzz words (the first 2 have
multiple meanings, the other 3 no discernable meaning) are: Dhamma Dukkha Atta Tathagata Nirvana, The main Christian fuzz words are: God, Christ, holy, heaven, spirit (=breath), soul (=psyche), sin, redemption
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