Originally posted by KellyJayA word-question, Kelly (if you’ve told me in the past, I apologize for forgetting)—what exactly do you mean by the word “meaning.” Can you explain how you understand that word?
Meaning beyond personal taste I'd say is a biggie.
As well as right and wrong beyond personal taste too.
Are the two big reasons for me.
Kelly
The word “meaning” seems to get bandied abut quite a lot on here, and I’m not always sure how people are using it.
You have set the word as a kind of opposite to "personal tatse" preferences—can one have a preference for one (set of) “meaning(s)” over another? Your argument seems to be that scientists (at least non-theistic ones) have a preference for one set of meanings, and you have a preference for another. Whereas, their argument seems to be that evidence trumps preference. And then your counter seems to be that they are just expressing a preference for certain evidence... And round and round...
But some people on here—telerion comes to mind, as well as myself—did not find it “preferential” to leave the religious paradigm in which we grew up (and in which I spent my life for 40 or so years); I did not find the leave-taking pleasant at all. I would grant the same to some people who went the other way: C.S. Lewis said he was drawn into the church metaphorically kicking and screaming all the way—I left in the same manner.
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Originally posted by vistesdI draw meaning from God that is beyond my personal tastes, matter of fact my personal tastes have changed over the years due to the meaning I get out of what I believe God has for the human race. Meaning, for me deals in worth, value, importance, and without a source other than myself to draw meaning from, I believe we all are left with making it up as we go, which leave me to believe that no one's personal tastes are better or worse than any others except where might makes right either through shear numbers or those in power forcing their views upon everyone else. Through God our meaning or the plum line of righteousness is not dependent upon human tastes at the moment, or what human is in power at the moment, it goes beyond that. God rightly judges between us without favortism which is not something we do well at all, so knowing that I try to do right by those around me, knowning my selfish nature is something I need to keep an eye on.
A word-question, Kelly (if you’ve told me in the past, I apologize for forgetting)—what exactly do you mean by the word “meaning.” Can you explain how you understand that word?
The word “meaning” seems to get bandied abut quite a lot on here, and I’m not always sure how people are using it.
You have set the word as a kind of opposite to "personal tats wn into the church metaphorically kicking and screaming all the way—I left in the same manner.
Kelly
Originally posted by KellyJayworth, value, importance
I draw meaning from God that is beyond my personal tastes, matter of fact my personal tastes have changed over the years due to the meaning I get out of what I believe God has for the human race. Meaning, for me deals in worth, value, importance, and without a source other than myself to draw meaning from, I believe we all are left with making it up as we g ...[text shortened]... ht by those around me, knowning my selfish nature is something I need to keep an eye on.
Kelly
Thanks, Kelly. I really think you told me this before, and I forgot.
That is not how I use the word “meaning;” I use it synonymously with understanding. If a word has a particular meaning (or a sentence, or an argument), that is how I and/or others understand it (i.e., what is the conventional or normative understanding, or how I intend it in a particular context), what it refers to. For me, to say that something is meaningless, is to say that it has no sense, or no coherence, or no referent. Many people do, however, use it in the sense that you defined.
As for the rest, we both already know we disagree, and what our arguments are, so there’s no need re-visiting that impasse. 🙂