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elanya at 12:41am on 25/10/2002
elanya at 12:41am on 25/10/2002Academics and scientists making up words to make themselves seem more intelligent is, alas one of them... I was looking up some enlightenment stuff tonight for decidedly geeky reasons (an NPC named John Locke ;) and came across this little quote...
Vague and insignificant forms of speech, and abuse of language, have so long passed for mysteries of science; and hard and misapplied words, with little or no meaning, have, by prescription, such a right to be mistaken for deep learning and height of speculation, that it will not be easy to persuade either those who speak or those who hear them, that they are but the covers of ignorance, and hindrance of true knowledge.
-John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1690
Vague and insignificant forms of speech, and abuse of language, have so long passed for mysteries of science; and hard and misapplied words, with little or no meaning, have, by prescription, such a right to be mistaken for deep learning and height of speculation, that it will not be easy to persuade either those who speak or those who hear them, that they are but the covers of ignorance, and hindrance of true knowledge.
-John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1690
amused
(no subject)