Subj : Dictionary.
To   : JOHN WILSON
From : DAVE OLDRIDGE
Date : Sat Nov 04 2000 03:04 pm

JW> -=> DAVE OLDRIDGE wrote to JOHN WILSON <=-

JW>  JW> -=> DAVE OLDRIDGE wrote to FRANK MASINGILL <=-


JW>  JW>  DO> Aren't you simply reifying his metaphor?

JW>  JW>  Damn! My (small) dictionary des not contain the word "reifying"

JW>  JW>  I have probably wanted to reify a metaphor *dozens* of times!

JW>  DO> Example:
JW>  DO> I write, "The sun's golden orb sank slowly into the western sea."

JW>  DO> Then you accuse me of being unscientific and teaching that the
JW>  DO> sun is made out of metal and sinks in the ocean at night.

JW> Have I at last had too many beers? Is it really that late?....

JW> ...uh...taking someone literally?

Literally, it means to make an abstract concept real or concrete.  Such 
as taking my metaphor above too literally.  It's not just a question of 
taking it literally but of taking it TOO literally.  The risk is, of 
course, much higher when what is being reified is a parable or a myth that 
carries an abstract level of truth but is simply not meant to be 
interpreted in the most literal sense.  In Genesis, there are some clues, for 
example, in the names of certain trees.

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 þ MM 1.1 #0357 þ Shin: Device for finding furniture in the dark.
 * Origin: FONiX Info Systems * Berkshire UK * +44 1344 641625 (2:252/171)

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