**Meaning** describes a set of relations of a particular object, symbol, sign, speech, or other sensible phenomena, situated in a conceptual framework that describes a [[field]] of relationships. In [[Semiotics]], meaning emerges through the interpretation of an object through direct or indirect experience. In Philosophy of Mind, meaning represents the components of content in one’s consciousness. As an academic study, meaning is primarily associated with [[Philosophy MOC|philosophy]] and [[Psychology]]. The former attempts to formulate a formal definition while the latter incorporates it into emotional and behavioral frameworks. Both attempt to form conceptual systems that combine experiences and knowledge into a coherent framework. In most cases, this type of meaning is associated with a rationale for one’s individual existence, broadly associated with existentialism, or for existence in general, somewhat associated with the [[Consciousness#Chalmers|hard problem]] of consciousness. Albert Camus believed that confronting the possibility of a meaningless world was essential to deriving well-founded meaning from it, and that such nihilism provided the means from which to move beyond it.[^1] Conversely, Alan Watts asserted that meaning is a necessary condition of reality. Similar to Descartes' realization that to doubt one's doubt is to discover one's certainty[^4], Watts argues, "If the universe is meaningless, so is the statement that it is so."[^5] ^58757b *Meaning-making* is a uniquely human pursuit. In my experience, meaning exists within several contexts: environmental, social, and intrapersonal, with well-constructed meanings within one reinforcing and recycling meanings within the others. I understand this concept as the Great Spiral of [[Consciousness]], wherein individual development is characterized by an outward expansion of awareness through various contexts from childhood through young adulthood. This is similar to Jordan Peterson’s[^2] discussion of valence in his book *[Maps of Meaning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maps_of_Meaning)*. The individual exists within various settings bounded by visible and invisible frames of reference. One traverses through these settings, becoming cognizant of their role in the network of relationships, beginning with their primary caregiver and ultimately extending into a cosmology. To this end, I define an individual’s mother, family, and immediate community as environmental contexts, their society and culture as social contexts, and their cosmology as an intrapersonal context, with a degree of overlap varying between individuals. ![[culturalValences.png]] ^db0bf1 >[!idea] >Could I differentiate between these three as **meaning**, *meaning*, and ***Meaning***? [^2]: Placeholder note to self to acknowledge Peterson as controversial in a number of respects. This is where I first encountered the idea of psychological "valence" and will credit it here unless I discover a more authoritative source. [^4]: Descartes, R. (2012). *Principles of philosophy, Part 1:7*. Simon and Schuster. Chicago. [^5]: Watts, A. (1962). _The wisdom of insecurity_. Pantheon ## Philosophical Meaning (meaning) In philosophy of language, 'meaning' is a technical term that describes relations between objects, concepts, symbols, and the words used to describe them. ### Extension and Intension In philosophy of mind, theory of meaning is an explicitly linguistic topic. A word *represents* an object or idea ([[Words are Quanta]]). A word's **extension** is the explicit reference it makes to its object (it's meaning). It refers to the literal set of concepts to which the term applies. A word's **intension** are the concepts associated with its symbolic or metaphorical context (its *[[Meaning#Psychological Meaning|meaning]]*). These may also be thought of respectively as **denotation** and **connotation**. ### The Meaning of 'Meaning' The most well-developed definition of 'meaning' as a philosophical concept is formulated by [Hilary Putnam](https://philpapers.org/s/Hilary%20Putnam), who advocates that it be considered a "normal form description." This is a "vector" composed of elements that will be familiar to anyone who has ever opened a dictionary: - Syntactic markers (grammatical classification; noun, verb, etc.) - Semantic markers (conceptual classification; animal, vegetable, etc.) - Stereotype (generic properties) - Extension (specific referent) In this formulation, *meaning* is a measure of linguistic competence, not a magic spell that assigns extension to its referent[^3]. In common practice, the connection between a term, its extension, and the speaker’s knowledge are implicit its use. The formal assignment of 'meaning' exists to cover [[inferential distance]]. [^3]: Putnam, Hilary (1975). The meaning of 'meaning'. Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science 7:131-193. [Paper](https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/185225/7-03_Putnam.pdf). ## Psychological Meaning Individual/internal meaning (*meaning*). ### Environmental Meaning We draw information from our surroundings and attach significance to objects in order to navigate them. Landmarks and [[phenology]] provide [[cues]] of where we are located in space and time. We make behavioral changes that contribute to the [[Stigmergy|prevailing structure]] of our homes and communities. #### Games Sporting events are good illustrations of environmental meaning. The boundaries of the field or court and the movement of the ball inform the organization of players within it, along with signals provided by timers and buzzers. These are also understood by spectators and the arrangement on a field within both space and time produces different emotional states. ### Intrapersonal Meaning In other cases it is inquiring into someone's personal experience and/or [[Cosmology]]. "What do your tattoos mean?" is a question I get a lot. I read this as, "What do those pictures on your arm signify or symbolize?", or possibly "What experience in your life led you to deface your body in such a way?" (I usually imagine this in my grandmother's voice). In many ways, the notion of *meaning* pertains to *value* as well. We value what we find meaningful. In this sense, *meaning* describes the **intellectual geometry of *value***. *Rules* are created to illustrate or express a particular idea that has resonance across a [[community]]. ^5fc508 Understanding the phenomenon of meaning is important for understanding how value systems might conflict. In Buddhism, meaning is a form of [[abhasa]], an illusion that arises from contextual circumstances to be acknowledged but not grasped. In this regard it is useful to view **meaning** as an illusion while acknowledging it as a real experience of [[rang tsal|mental pattern completion]] or [[Social Epistemology|consistently reliable information]]. *Ikigai* is a Japanese concept. ![[wealthIkigai.JPG]] Then there are questions of meaning one finds posted promiscuously across the [comment boards](https://www.spirit-animals.com/cat-symbolism/#comment-90239) of spirit animal websites, in which people are striving to derive sense out of an encounter with an animal that felt emotionally charged. Or the ecstasy of a [double rainbow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI). [^1]: Camus, A. (1975). *The myth of Sisyphus*. Preface to the 2nd ed. Penguin Books (originally published 1955). ## Cosmological Meaning (Meaning) ### Social Meaning - Importance of intension: how a term conveys its contextual meaning between conversants. A form of [[Decoupling]]. In one case its a request to join into a set of shared concepts. "What do you mean by..." is "How are you using this word?", "Are we using these terms in the same way?" Often we might agree to use a new term based on the direction of our discussion. - Indexicality: Since language is inherently social, words are inherently situated within a set of shared concepts. A term *places* a concept within a socially epistemic context. #### Morals Morals: How to treat others and live in proximity. - Our sense of moral values are not fixed. They change [according to the season](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2313428121?ueid=347151cfaae3c8bc30cada38e7027425). #### Laws The enforcement of morals #### Systems of Governance The organization of morals. ### Mythology - Story and narrative: A story is a series of cues that invoke existing concepts, or create the circumstances into which new concepts can be introduced. It creates a form of cognitive stigmergy, the story becomes a representational spatio-temporal structure in the mind. *This is why telling the story is important*. - Meaning is a *psychological resource*. It creates itself, and assimilates or accommodates new information. As an example, the work of %% ### Soil Microbial Market * In 2016, the German forester Peter Wohlleben, drawing heavily on Simard and a few other scientists, published The Hidden Life of Trees. The book became an international bestseller. * **Note**: Again, the debate here has some psychological underpinnings driving the science. Its interesting to note **theres an economic component to the popularity of the work of Wallenberger and Simard, that people *need* the perspective of communism**,