Concepts: A Double-Edged Sword

bySpencerMorgan
Nowthatwevethoroughlyexaminedmansconditionasafree,choosingagentandhismoralentitlementto selfownership,Idliketostartdrawingconnectionsbetweenthisprincipleandtheworldofgroup abstractionsthatsurroundsus.Wevealreadydiscussedatlengththestateanditsparasiticnature,butthis weekIdliketotakeastepbackandaddressthesecollectivegroupabstractionsingeneralandhowwe shouldbereigningthemin. Ouruniquelyhumanconceptualandimaginativeabilityiswonderful.Childrenarebornwiththiscapacity, andoneofmyfavoritethingsasaparenthasbeentowatchitdevelopinmytwodaughters.Childrentendto usetheirimaginationharmlessly,whilefullyawareofitsdetachmentfromreality.Iwatchedmydaughter Marissaformherownuniqueconceptasasmallchild,calledabomp.Shestartedapplyingthisconcept tothingssheobserved,andeventuallyIwasabletolearnfromherapplicationsthatabompmeanta rapidlymovingobject,livingorotherwise,whosemovementwasexcitingandunpredictable. Conceptsareacriticalguideforinterpretingandapplyingthesignalswereceivefromoursenses,andthey allowustoprepareforsituationsinrealitythatwehavenotyetencountered.Byformingageneralmental conceptaboutsomething(forexample,achair)wecanhavealarger,objectiveguideforhowweapproach ourencounterswithchairs.Withoutthiscapacity,wewouldseeeachinstanceofachairwemight encounterasanisolatedobjectcontainingfourlegs,aflatsurface,etc.Fromthisexamplewecanseehow foundationaltheconceptualabilityistoscience,economicexchange,innovation,andmore. TheDangerinUnrestrainedConcepts Themostimportantthingtounderstandisthatthechairpart,orthepartthatisourlargerconcept,does notliterallyexist.Whatexistsisthematerialsthatmakeupthechair,intheshapewehavecometo associateconceptuallyasachair.Theconceptitself,however,existsonlyasamentalformationwehave madeasrationalbeingstoguideourinteractionswithreality.Thismayseembasic,butitisessentialto understandandcontinuetoapplywhenwestartdealingwithmorecomplexconcepts. Asweage,thelinesseparatingourconceptsfromtheliteralrealitytheyservetohelpusnavigatecan becomeblurred.We,unfortunately,cometobelievethatourconceptsexistinrealityinmanycases.Oneof themostrevealingandpersistentlyagitatingthingsIveencounteredinthelastfewyearshasbeenthe typicalreactionapersonhaswhenIsaythegovernmentdoesnotexist.Admittedly,Iamdoingthistoget areactionandtheirattention,anddontimmediatelyexpectthemtounderstandmymeaning,whichisthat thestateitselfismerelyafictionalconceptappliedtoagroupofhumanbeings,certainbuildings,etc.,but whichhasnoactualmanifestationitselfinreality.Itisinterestingtowatchhowever,thatevenwithcareful explanationofthosenuances,theresistancethatmanyfeel.Thereseemstobeadeepneed,formany people,tobelievethatthegovernmentdoesitselfhaveanexistenceapartfromtheindividualactorswhoact underthatlabel. Almost2,500yearsago,thephilosopherPlatomadeaverygravemistakefromwhichwesternphilosophy andreligionhaveyettorecover.Platoviewedtheconceptualasreal,andeventheorizedthataperfectworld offormsexisted,ofwhichourflawed,materialworldwasadegradedsubset.Sincethen,alloftheChristian thinkersandwritersofphilosophy(andtherehavebeenmany)whohaveadoptedthispremisehavemade themistakeoftryingtosubordinaterealitytomansimagination,insteadofviceversa.Thiscanbea harmlessenoughfantasy(oratleastharmlesstoallbutourselves)untilwestartadoptingconceptsasa

societythatbecomeanacceptedbasisforaggressiontoothers.NextweekIwilldiscusshowgovernment issuchconcept.