A potential problem for communication
Words, generally, are used to reference things or ideas -- no kidding, right?
Well, it gets a little more complicated.
Imagine a triangle: you, the word "ball," and an actual basketball.
The word "ball" has a real-world point of reference.
Now, let's say we could monitor the minds of three people, and we can know exactly what images and associations they "see" in their minds when a specific word is spoken.
So, I say the word "ball."
Person One sees a basketball -- it is round, circular, and it bounces.
Person Two sees a football -- it is not round, but it is an inflatable athletic item that bounces.
Person Three sees a grapefruit -- it is round, circular, but is not useful for athletics, at least not games that last very long.
In the above example, the same, common, every-day term -- "ball" -- unwittingly has become part of a communication breakdown.
So I am not attempting to define "ball," or to pick one definition over the other.
But the more controversial or sophisticated word used, the more difficult it is to communicate clearly.
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