I could replace all my uses of the word “metaphysical” with “sloppily-general”, I guess, but I’m not sure it has quite the right connotations, and “metaphysical” is already the standard terminology. “Metaphysical” is vague in a somewhat precise way that “sloppily-general” isn’t. I appreciate the general need for down-to-earth language, but I also don’t want to consent to the norm of encouraging people to take pains to write in such a way as to be understood by the greatest common factor of readers.
“X is a metaphysic” becomes “X is somehow a model (of something), but I’m not sure how”.
“Y is metaphysical” becomes “Y is about or related to a model (somehow)”.
I assume my understanding is correct, since you didn’t correct it.
“sloppily-general” is then indeed kind of far from the intended meaning, but that’s just because it’s a terrible coinage.
Elsewhere, somebody posted a link to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s definition of metaphysics. They say right in the intro that they haven’t found a good way to define it. The Wikipedia article on metaphysics’s body implies a different definition than its opening paragraph. In common parlance, it’s used for some vague spiritualish thing. And your definition is different from all of these. Do you think that the term could reasonably be expected to be understood the way you intended it to?
“Metaphysical” isn’t vague in a somewhat precise way. It isn’t even evocative, as its convoluted etymology prevents even that. It’s just vague and used by philosophers.
The greatest common factor of readers isn’t even here. The point is more to be understood by readers at all. Don’t make your writing more obscure than it needs to be. Hard concepts are hard enough as is, without making the fricking idea of “somehow a model” worth 3 hours’ worth of discussion.
I could replace all my uses of the word “metaphysical” with “sloppily-general”, I guess, but I’m not sure it has quite the right connotations, and “metaphysical” is already the standard terminology. “Metaphysical” is vague in a somewhat precise way that “sloppily-general” isn’t. I appreciate the general need for down-to-earth language, but I also don’t want to consent to the norm of encouraging people to take pains to write in such a way as to be understood by the greatest common factor of readers.
“X is a metaphysic” becomes “X is somehow a model (of something), but I’m not sure how”. “Y is metaphysical” becomes “Y is about or related to a model (somehow)”. I assume my understanding is correct, since you didn’t correct it. “sloppily-general” is then indeed kind of far from the intended meaning, but that’s just because it’s a terrible coinage.
Elsewhere, somebody posted a link to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s definition of metaphysics. They say right in the intro that they haven’t found a good way to define it. The Wikipedia article on metaphysics’s body implies a different definition than its opening paragraph. In common parlance, it’s used for some vague spiritualish thing. And your definition is different from all of these. Do you think that the term could reasonably be expected to be understood the way you intended it to?
“Metaphysical” isn’t vague in a somewhat precise way. It isn’t even evocative, as its convoluted etymology prevents even that. It’s just vague and used by philosophers.
The greatest common factor of readers isn’t even here. The point is more to be understood by readers at all. Don’t make your writing more obscure than it needs to be. Hard concepts are hard enough as is, without making the fricking idea of “somehow a model” worth 3 hours’ worth of discussion.
Sorry, I was just too lazy to correct it. Still too lazy.
I give up. Good night.