“Energy” in such a context refers to a subjective physical and mental sensation, which has in common with joules that it is experienced as being used up and replenished. Newage types may attribute physical existence to it, but everyday usage need not be making any such claim.
As if sensations don’t have physical existence.
They do. So does the physical mechanism that produces them. I was intending to point to the fact that these are two different things—not a non-thing and a thing. The everyday use of “energy” refers to the former.
To me “Extroverts gain energy from being with other people. [...] Introverts pay energy to be with other people.” feels like a cached thought.
Cached vs. newly thought is orthogonal to this. That a thought is familiar does not invalidate it.
I think it’s worthwhile to consciously think about what we actually mean instead of only relying on metaphors. That doesn’t mean that metaphors are always bad but it’s important to be conscious of the reason one has for using them.
A sharp taste. A dull pain. A piercing scream. Fluent speech. Raw weather.
Feeling energetic.
We all know what these expressions mean. Metaphors are unproblematic as descriptions. The important thing is to be aware that they are descriptions, not explanations. When misused as explanations they amount to magic: an explanation with no moving parts, just a name. Real explanations require more than thought alone, but also observation and investigation.
Actually, the first definition that Google gives for “energy” is “the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity”, not the sense it takes in physics. In the OED, of the six senses distinguished, the thing measured by joules is in last place and dates from 1807. So it isn’t even a metaphor here.
In the OED, of the six senses distinguished, the thing measured by joules is in last place and dates from 1807. So it isn’t even a metaphor here.
If by “metaphor” you mean “using a word with a sense other than the historically oldest one, then whenever you’re talking about checking something when not playing chess you’re using a metaphor.
I was intending to point to the fact that these are two different things—not a non-thing and a thing.
I think you overrate the difference from New Agey people in that regard. Someone who does energy healing speaks labels certain sensations he perceives as energy.
That a thought is familiar does not invalidate it.
I don’t think “invalidation” is the point of asking questions.
We all know what these expressions mean.
These expressions can usually refer to a bunch of different things.
Also if you know what the expression means, it shouldn’t be hard for you to break it down.
These expressions can usually refer to a bunch of different things. Also if you know what the expression means, it shouldn’t be hard for you to break it down.
They mean certain generally familiar sensations. What has that to do with “breaking it down”? You can stare really hard at those sensations, and examine how they arise and change and pass away, which I am guessing is what you are referring to as “breaking it down”, and you can study them from outside the experience with the usual methods of science, which might also be part of what you are referring to, but that has nothing to do with knowing “what these expressions mean”.
If I learn from a carpenter about the construction of tables, I am learning about tables, not about the meaning of the word “table”.
There’s a sensation of having a high muscle tonus. There a sensation of feeling the need for sleep.
There’s a sensation that comes with an increase in testosterone. There’s a sensation of reduced inhibition for movement. There’s a sensation of motivation.
There’s low/high blood sugar. There’s heart rate variance. There’s willpower.
Those are all different variables that person could mean when he speaks about “paying energy”.
If you are interested in actually understanding what happens when introverts pay energy for social interaction it’s useful to mentally distinguish those things. Distinguishing them allows you to intervene.
I personally don’t drain when in social interaction. But I’m also not a typical extrovert.
They do. So does the physical mechanism that produces them. I was intending to point to the fact that these are two different things—not a non-thing and a thing. The everyday use of “energy” refers to the former.
Cached vs. newly thought is orthogonal to this. That a thought is familiar does not invalidate it.
A sharp taste. A dull pain. A piercing scream. Fluent speech. Raw weather.
Feeling energetic.
We all know what these expressions mean. Metaphors are unproblematic as descriptions. The important thing is to be aware that they are descriptions, not explanations. When misused as explanations they amount to magic: an explanation with no moving parts, just a name. Real explanations require more than thought alone, but also observation and investigation.
Actually, the first definition that Google gives for “energy” is “the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity”, not the sense it takes in physics. In the OED, of the six senses distinguished, the thing measured by joules is in last place and dates from 1807. So it isn’t even a metaphor here.
If by “metaphor” you mean “using a word with a sense other than the historically oldest one, then whenever you’re talking about checking something when not playing chess you’re using a metaphor.
I think you overrate the difference from New Agey people in that regard. Someone who does energy healing speaks labels certain sensations he perceives as energy.
I don’t think “invalidation” is the point of asking questions.
These expressions can usually refer to a bunch of different things. Also if you know what the expression means, it shouldn’t be hard for you to break it down.
They mean certain generally familiar sensations. What has that to do with “breaking it down”? You can stare really hard at those sensations, and examine how they arise and change and pass away, which I am guessing is what you are referring to as “breaking it down”, and you can study them from outside the experience with the usual methods of science, which might also be part of what you are referring to, but that has nothing to do with knowing “what these expressions mean”.
If I learn from a carpenter about the construction of tables, I am learning about tables, not about the meaning of the word “table”.
There’s a sensation of having a high muscle tonus. There a sensation of feeling the need for sleep. There’s a sensation that comes with an increase in testosterone. There’s a sensation of reduced inhibition for movement. There’s a sensation of motivation. There’s low/high blood sugar. There’s heart rate variance. There’s willpower.
Those are all different variables that person could mean when he speaks about “paying energy”.
If you are interested in actually understanding what happens when introverts pay energy for social interaction it’s useful to mentally distinguish those things. Distinguishing them allows you to intervene.
I personally don’t drain when in social interaction. But I’m also not a typical extrovert.