"What is in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet..."
Yes, I know, it's cliched... It's one of the few lines of Shakespeare that everybody knows.
But what if Shakespeare was wrong?
Maybe the Montagues should be proud of their heritage, no?
I like my name. It's not so much because it's a wonderful sounding name, or because it rolls off the tongue, like Theophilus de Gorgonzola the Fifth, or even because my name is spelled correctly, unlike some others that are pronounced the same way. I like my name because it means me. Whatever Shakespeare says about the utter randomness and illogicity of family feuds in Verona, names are important.
Names are important because we have no other handle on the true existence of something. We can describe an object or a person, but only in terms of other things. People have intmimated, for instance, that describing me is nearly impossible. However, all it takes for someone to invoke the experiences and images connected with me is my name being spoken.
When words fail, there are names.
2 comments:
Theophilus Gorgonzola de Limburger V...=)
I should bring back some Gorgonzola and Limburger cheeses...=)but it would be impossible to sneak them through customs...they smell too distinctly.
"Ma'am, do you have any food to declare?"
"No...that smell...is my dog"
"I'm sorry you can't just bring a dog in from England, we'll have to see him"
"Oh, I just remembered...I used to have a dog...I don't anymore..but you can still smell him...you know how dogs are"
right...
I like your summary of names...in fact there's a name for it. =P It's the Millian theory, and you might agree with Saul Kripke too...
Frege would add to you and his followers might completely disagree with you...
Just thought you'd like to know...
Actually, both of you do a disservice to the strongly-scented winged horse. His name is actually Theophilus Gorgonzola Roquefort de Limburger the Fifth.
And your word verification is stsessis. I would love to know what that names.
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