As soon as a definition is given limitations exist?

Question

i really dont understand this? what does it mean? is it true or not?

Answer 1

Yes it is! When you give a word, and you say here, this is what it means - you have limited the scope of that word forever, saying only whatever is the dictionary meaning that is boundary of the word!!!

Answer 2

This is true because the definition is the limitation. Things without limits we cannot define. Can you imagine a thing or an object that we can't define as a thing or an object? Of course not, so, we need at least the limitation that it is a thing, object, idea, etc. I hope this makes sense. We throw words around all the time, yet, most of them mean the same basic thing. If something were undefinable, that is a kind of definition too, so we limit ourselves also by saying that there are these limitations out there. If we didn't have these limitations or definitions, the sky would be a pencil, and the cheese would be a form a roof.

Answer 3

When you define something...that puts bounderies on what it is or can be because you have set your own picture of what it is. If others accept your definition as truth, then it will also limit their ability to see anything else as a possibility for that particular thing. This factor is (as I see it) the biggest flaw in human development as it often causes people to be closed to ever greater possibilities.

Since this is the religion and spirituality section, I will use my relationship with my God as an example. If I had allowed myself to be limited to just what a particular religion or a particular religious text said, I would not have experienced the rest of what God has shown me. He is much more than any book has ever said....and I am learning more and more about Him each day.

Answer 4

Yes, I believe this. When we define something, we have to give some perameters, and perameters are limitations.

Example Definition: An apple is red and sweet.

Yes, that is one aspect of an apple. But an apple can also be green, yellow, or a mix of colors. And, the apple can vary in taste from tart to sweet. If you only believe an apple to be red and sweet, then you will never try the other apples, and you will miss out on their variety and beauty.

Definitions are important, but we have to remember to look outside the definition. Often we will find greater wisdom and new discoveries.

Just think......what if Gallileo had accepted the definition that the world was flat?

Answer 5

I agree with "Jothe?" because as soon as we concieve "what something is", we are no longer open to process any understand of what "it" is not. Our ability to comprehend "it" beyond what is "contrived" by our definition of it - becomes significantly impared...even our understanding of anything that exist within "it" outside of the realm of that definition or label becomes a lazy and limitied way of processing it- a definition is a short cut, so to speak.

When we define something, we limit our comprehension of anything in it, that operates beyond what we understand the definition to be. All thinking about it stops, all processing of information stops, all observation of it stops, we assume we know what it is and anything outside of that definition is either discarded or goes unobserved.

In the process of defining we look only to verifiy, confirm or reinforce our definition, or notion of the object and we focus on those things, while discarding, minimalizing or overlooking anything that can not be applied into that logic.
For instance, if we say an object's color is red- as we view the object - we seek first to affirm our definition, seeking only visual or perceptial reinforcement that the object is red. All the while "red" contains not only many colors but processes which create significant variation. Once we define it we ignore the other colors which compose the hue red and only focus on red finding some sembelance of our conception of red. Does that make sense?
Therefore, we limit our understanding of red- by defining it as red, instead of an amalagmation of hues and processes which produce a hue, related to a visual stimulation of that hue, it may very well result in what we percive and define as red- but sometimes depending on variables, it may not.
The results of defining it gives the the term red- a sort of power to limit any other hue along that line, "red" then becomes the short cut- , and when different hues of red start becoming apparent we have conflicts and problems- wars, arguments and such. The "limitations exist" only in our minds- we live in a limitless universe, we can not even comprehend the possiblitlies, yet we try to define everything based on our limited understanding-our understanding which is utterly foolish, and nothing more than a short cut, - memorized "words" we use to define, words that are not even ours, words that are taught to us by someone else with limited understanding, or in most cases, lesser understanding than we have or attain as we evolve. We limit our understanding and our evolution when we go along defining things.

Answer 6

Of course it is true, language is used to describe. What use would a word be if there were limitless definitions and no limit to what it meant? Useless!

Answer 7

Since this is in R&S, I assume you mean a definition of "god".

Yes. By defining "god" we limit our understanding, and how close we may get to "god".

Therefore, the final barrier to god is religion.

Answer 8

Definitions are limited to observations, and observations are usually not complete. To use such a definition is to wrongly imply that there is nothing more to observe.

Answer 9

we all want to define things...life, our relationships, our sexuality, marriage, love, etc.

as soon as we define, we are necessarily putting lines or boundaries around something in order to better understand or grasp a concept