Inconceivable, adj.
- Impossible to comprehend or grasp fully: inconceivable folly; an inconceivable disaster.
- So unlikely or surprising as to have been thought impossible; unbelievable: an inconceivable victory against all odds.
The word is what it is, but I find it a little strange. When we say that something is inconceivable or beyond belief, what we really mean is that it's far outside our normal patterns. But what does the word mean, really? If you were to find something that was indeed completely inconceivable, then you wouldn't be able to describe it, or explain it, or rationalise it, because it wouldn't only skirt the edge of belief, it would be an infinite distance beyond. You can't use words to describe something that there are no words for. You can't tell of it. The best you could do is show it, but what happens when it's only a thought, an idea?
Perhaps we should be cautious in the bandying-about of this term. Words can be dangerous, after all.
Perhaps we should be cautious in the bandying-about of this term. Words can be dangerous, after all.
6 comments:
good point on the word thing only it is inconceivable that you thought of it...ha...i am so funny
and oh yes
your daddy loves you
You say: "The best you could do is show it"
I say: Even a showing, if it to be intelligible, would be subject to your critique.
*if it is to be intelligible
Oh, and can you tell your father that if he enables comments from non-blogger-users on his site, I can comment? :-P
But, is not the thing so incomprehensible as to one should not be able to even show it, because if't were physically shown, 'twould not have the exact same effect on everyone. 'Twould touch each in its own way.
Don't forget the meeting tomorrow night is not at borders!
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