Can you think of anything that is not symbolized?

Question

Everything we perceive or think is given a word or description. So reality is symbolic? Your thoughts please.

Answer 1

We use symbols to communicate reality to ourselves (including the orgasm example) and to others. But, reality is not symbolic. It is that to which symbols point. Language, at any level, is symbolic.

Answer 2

I don't think everything is, sometimes there are thoughts that you just can't express.

And even if every human thought were give a symbol, that doesn't make 'reality' symbolic, it makes our interaction with reality symbolic.

Answer 3

word descriptions arn't symbolic. symbols are symbolic. and symbols are a picture representation of another object or concept. "at least to my understanding of them". Unless "we" consider words to be a "symbol" for objects (the idea is questionable to me), I would say space has no other symbol then "space" as a word. Rocks atleast have a road sign... :)

Answer 4

i think we can get trapped in the virtual reality we create in our minds. a world of symbols, ideas and words. when it is originally perceived, it is pure.

Answer 5

A feeling before we identify it with a word. Example: when you are experiencing an orgasm, are you already thinking in your mind, this is an orgasm, or are you just experiencing it. I agree that can be symbolized, but it can be part of our experience without symbology.

Answer 6

emotion and physical states of being aren't symbolic, but The Big Lebowski is a truly modern allegory of the cave......

Answer 7

we fleet through these symbols and tags and labels because who we truly are is undefined.