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We use myriad
symbols in our sentience of the universe. Every element of existence is
only manifest to us as a symbol and if we have no symbol for an element
then effectively it does not exist. We generate visual and tactile
symbols of the sun, audio symbols of wind and water, smell symbols of
other creatures, and taste symbols of plants.
Our brains extract the information
inherent in our different symbolic sensations of an object and searches
for common meaning. It then generates an image of the object it in
our minds that is based on this shared meaning.
A symbol of any sense (smell, taste,
tactile, sound or sight) can be considered a prime symbols if it is essential
for survival. All such symbols work to
generate images within us and in our societies that can sustain or
destroy us.
This website is
primarily concerned with a particular type of symbol: words, both
written and spoken.
It is understood the word becomes associated with information sourced
from all our senses, most of which we are not conscious of assimulating.
The
definition of what constitutes a prime word symbol is arbitrary. This
discussion defines a prime word symbol as a word that reflects
the dominant elements of our worldview and frames our communications of
how the universe(s) work. Prime candidates are, God, love and
sex, as these play profound roles in our lives. However the focus of
this discussion is limited to the establishment of a state of science
with regard to our perceptions of the nature of energy and how Earth’s
climate works. In this context the following symbols play vital roles in
our discourse:
atmosphere
carbon
change
climate
conserve
cooling
electricity
energy
energy efficiency
environment
exponential
greenhouse
peak oil
power
potential
trace
science
sustain
warming
use
Each of these symbols is sufficiently powerful
that our failure to conserve its potential deprives us and puts humanity
at greater risk. The flawed use of some can even destroy civilisation.
Major flawed use of all these symbols works to make such destruction
almost inevitable.
Page last updated:
July 2010
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