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You can spend your entire life figuring out the answers to questions like these (like linguists do).
I'm curious: what does this have to do with religion/philosophy?
You can spend your entire life figuring out the answers to questions like these (like linguists do).
I'm curious: what does this have to do with religion/philosophy?
I think the OP is asking about 'perception': what makes a tree a 'tree'? What prevents me, for example, for calling it a 'dog'?
If that's my perception of the object that others call a 'tree' -- I wouldn't be 'wrong'.
If it's our perception, than I can choose to shift my perception and call *everything* a tree. Or, conversely, I can remove 'tree' from my sphere of perception entirely, in which case, *nothing* is a tree.
Names are arbitrary labels, built on a universe that requires some form of order (otherwise, entropy would have taken over long ago).
Call a 'tree' a 'dog', and -- while some people would think you strange -- you wouldn't be wrong, because it's based on self-referential perception.
I'm not even sure if referential is even a word....
I think the OP is asking about 'perception': what makes a tree a 'tree'? What prevents me, for example, for calling it a 'dog'?
If that's my perception of the object that others call a 'tree' -- I wouldn't be 'wrong'.
If it's our perception, than I can choose to shift my perception and call *everything* a tree. Or, conversely, I can remove 'tree' from my sphere of perception entirely, in which case, *nothing* is a tree.
Names are arbitrary labels, built on a universe that requires some form of order (otherwise, entropy would have taken over long ago).
Call a 'tree' a 'dog', and -- while some people would think you strange -- you wouldn't be wrong, because it's based on self-referential perception.
I'm not even sure if referential is even a word....
Yes, "referential" is a word. I didn't catch the OP's question about perception. I thought the question was simply "where do words come from?" so I tried to point out the answer.
In any case, there is a traceable origin for the word "dog" as well as the word "tree" no matter who is looking at what...
Yes, "referential" is a word. I didn't catch the OP's question about perception. I thought the question was simply "where do words come from?" so I tried to point out the answer.
In any case, there is a traceable origin for the word "dog" as well as the word "tree" no matter who is looking at what...
*nods*
Yes, but they can be changed, if only on an individual level -- one day, someone may decide 'I'm not going to call that a 'tree'. I'm going to call that a 'dog'; it looks like a dog, to me'.
In which case, his perception of the item otherwise called 'tree' -- his personal perception, mind you -- is altered, and to him, it now becomes 'dog', not 'tree'.
Which then begs the question: since it is merely *his* perception of the item that he redefines, is that perception 'wrong'?
Last edited by FredNotBob; 11-10-2008 at 12:09 PM..
Reason: Clarity
my question was Similar to the question of how did we come to this world
we got born and our parents got born until we reach to Adam and Eve peace be upon them and then we reach to Allah Almighty the creator of every thing
same things about the names we got them from the people before us and they got them from the one before until we reach to Adam peace be upon him and Adam got them from Allah Almighty
sura #2 Al-Baqara the Cow
And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not. (30)
And He taught Adam all the names, then showed them to the angels, saying: Inform Me of the names of these, if ye are truthful. (31)
They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, the Wise. (32)
He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names, and when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not tell you that I know the secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye disclose and which ye hide. (33)
And when We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever. (34)
And We said: O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and eat ye freely (of the fruits) thereof where ye will; but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers. (35)
But Satan caused them to deflect therefrom and expelled them from the (happy) state in which they were; and We said: Fall down, one of you a foe unto the other! There shall be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a time. (36)
Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He relented toward him. Lo! He is the relenting, the Merciful. (37)
We said: Go down, all of you, from hence; but verily there cometh unto you from Me a guidance; and whoso followeth My guidance, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (38)
But they who disbelieve, and deny Our revelations, such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein. (39)
Human language is actually a very interesting topic. They had a series a year or two ago about the development of the english language on one of the educational channels. As England was taken over or influenced over many centuries by rival nations we can find many examples of words that originated in those nations and finally became a part of everyday english. Most words that end in ion such as nation are generally french in origin. The languages of western Europe generally have the same alphabet and of course it's very well known that such languages as Spanish, Italian, French, English and German share many traits (it's kind of like evolution). The languages of Asian nations are completely different from western languages although many of them share similarities with each other. The Thai language is so unique that it appears to have developed without the outside influence of other cultures due to the isolation it was experiencing at the time.
I've also got to throw this thought out. The complexities and the time scales involved in developing completely unique languages don't happen to fall into the six thousand year old earth scenario. Just food for thought.
the tree
who told us that such thing is called tree?
......thanks.
... I once knew. But forgot again.
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). The languages of Asian nations are completely different from western languages although many of them share similarities with each other. The Thai language is so unique that it appears to have developed without the outside influence of other cultures due to the isolation it was experiencing at the time. 
Remember ...
