To a novice, all the cables and ropes on a sailboat look alike. To a captain, they each have their own name and function: halyard, sheet, runner, forestay, vang, crossbeam, guard, etc. All ropes share characteristics, but a sheet is different from a halyard.
The ability to perceive similarities, differences and identities is a mark of intelligence and wisdom. You can communicate with someone who knows the difference between terms, but it's harder to communicate with someone for whom it's "all the same thing". You won't trust a mechanic who talks about what's what. The speed with which you identify sub-assemblies among terms will be related to your familiarity with the field. For example, between catheter, electrocardiograph, syringe, stethoscope, oximeter, MRI, sphygmomanometer, nebulizer; which are for treatment and which are for diagnosis?
Without this ability to discern, we'll seem slow to understand and decide. From primary school to university, this ability is often exercised. It starts with putting triangles in triangle holes or finding the 7 differences and ends with distinguishing between psoas minor and major or distinguishing a third from a fourth.
Generalizations (identities that are not) are often a sign of weak reasoning and lead to prejudice, abuse and error. Categorizing in sets greatly speeds up reasoning, but the accuracy of reasoning also depends on the type of classification applied to the context. "Well or badly dressed", "fat or skinny", "young or mature", "native or immigrant", the classification grids we use to make quick decisions are specific to each person and each group; we all use them. Their weighting can be discussed and modified in the direction of greater openness, particularly at school.
Are these classifications sufficiently discussed? We can certainly do better, and some people are doing it brilliantly.
Enjoy your reading
Denys Lamontagne - [email protected]
Illustration: Hello Cdd20 - Pixabay
