Preamble to Table of Wise Uses of English
Information is physical and, like all else in the universe, it is subject to the principles of physics. In other words, we are our language and our existence depends on it being in accord with the Conservation of Energy Principle. This principle forms an enduring, wise guide reminding us that energy, the universal potential, is so bounteous it can be considered a constant and it continuously transforms all.
The ego in each of us does ever have us deny this reality and generates all manner of delusional hopes whereas our compassionate element does ever have us embrace this reality, reminding us in true hope of physics.
In brief, a sustaining principle of energy can be stated thus:
True hope (sanity) resides in symbol use that embraces the reality of continuous, universal change and personal stewardship.
Delusional hope (misery) resides in symbol use that denies this reality.
If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, then what must be done remains undone; if this remains undone, morals and art will deteriorate; if justice goes astray, the people will stand about in helpless confusion. Hence there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. This matters above everything.
Confucius
Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC – 479 BC)
Latest revision February 2020
| SYMBOL (word or phrase) | TRUE HOPE (Hope founded in the principles of physics) | DELUSIONAL HOPE (Hope founded in denial of the principles of physics) |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative Energy | Phrase not used ( Energy is universal ) | Both energy and alternative energy exist. (Energy is non-universal) |
| Alternative uses of energy | Humans can use energy in alternative ways | Phrase not used (Denial of stewardship of energy use) |
| Anthropogenic Climate Change | Significant changes to Earth’s climate caused by human activity | Phrase conflated with “Climate Change” (Denial of stewardship i.e. human role) |
| Art | Skill, expertise (Includes all types of expertise or skill) | Excludes most types of expertise (Typically limited to Painting, Music, Acting, etc) |
| Earth’s atmospheric system | Atmosphere = a dynamic, organic gas system typified by enhanced air convection | Atmosphere = a greenhouse system ( Human-engineered system designed to suppress air convection. |
| Bulk-generated Electrical Product (Measured in megawatts) | Bulk-produced product (One of myriad possible electrical products) | Phrase not used (Product usually called “energy” or “power” or “electricity”) |
| Carbon | Carbon = common element throughout universe (Base atom of all living cells) | Carbon = “fossil fuels” Carbon is bad, a pollutant |
| Carbon Neutrality | Phrase not used ( No human action can be neutral in the cosmic flux) | A human action can be neutral in the cosmic flux |
| Carbon Offsetting | Phrase not used (Every human being is a steward of the universal carbon potential) | Any human being can trade away their responsibility for burning biomass. |
| Change | Change = action, transformation (All forms of the universe continuously transform and are finite) | Some forms, including human forms, are infinite (Denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Civics | Civics = all manner of sustaining arts (skills) required to live in accord with the principles of physics | Civics = study of the rights and obligations of citizens in society (Exclusive notion of Civics obscures and omits vital role of compassion enabling science in a man’s life) |
| Civilization | Civilization = a society in which systems are designed to enable sufficient compassion that its people can develop all manner of sustaining arts (skills) required to live in accord with the principles of physics (See “Science”, “Civics”) | Civilization = a complex society that is characterized by urban development, social stratification, a form of government, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language. (Amoral use of the word excludes Civic considerations) |
| Clean/Dirty Energy | Phrase not used (Energy = the universal potential – we can use it in “clean” and “dirty” ways) | There is clean energy and dirty energy. (Denial of stewardship) |
| Clean/Dirty Uses of Energy | Every use we make of energy is an act of stewardship i.e it involves a moral decision | Phrase not used |
| Climate Change | Phrase not used (Earth’s climate alters with the continuous, universal change) | Climate change = human-induced climate change (Denial of stewardship of Earth’s climate) |
| Combat/Fight/Prevent/Stop Climate Change | Phrases not used (Earth’s climate alters with the continuous, universal change) | Climate change = malevolent; problematic; threatening; (Denial of stewardship of Earth’s climate) |
| Combustion equation (AKA Burning equation) | Burning (combustion) = fuel plus atmosphere ( Universal: a substance reacts with oxygen to give heat and light) | Burning biomass (living or fossilized) = “energy” (Denial of role of atmosphere in combustion equation) |
| Compassion (The inclusive force acting in the human psyche) | Compassion = the act or capacity to sense suffering and seek to alleviate it. (Compassion arises simultaneously as the complement of the ego in any moment of self-awareness -qualities include humility, generosity, honesty, inquiry, reflection) | Word not used except to express pity and contempt (See “ego”) |
| Conservative (Inclusive use according to Conservation of Energy Principle) | A conservative = person whose activities conserve the flows and balances that sustain Mankind. | A conservative = person who promotes the retaining of traditional beliefs (Definition excludes factors such as their waste and pollution) |
| “Conserving energy”, “energy conservation” | Phrases not used -humans can only conserve forms and sources of energy (See the Conservation of Energy Principle) | Humans can conserve energy (Profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Cooling The thermodynamic process of losing (thermal) energy. | Cooling = thermal balance, stable state, no change of temperature. (Any form is a temporary balance of warming~cooling amidst the continuous, universal thermal flux) | Cooling = cooling down i.e. cooling = thermal imbalance, changed temperature and unstable state (Profound denial of the principles of thermodynamics) |
| Cooling Down The thermodynamic process of losing (thermal) energy in excess of gaining (thermal) energy | Cooling down = thermal imbalance, change (lowering) of temperature, unstable state (Any form ceases to be when its rate of cooling is greater than its rate of warming) | Cooling down = cooling i.e. thermal balance prevails, unchanged temperature, stable state (Profound denial of principles of thermodynamics) |
| Dis-economy | Dis-economy Act or system designed in deep discord with Conservation of Energy Principle (act or system of exchange characterized by planned waste/obsolescence/pollution) | Word not used (See use of “economy” instead) |
| Economy (Act or system of exchange designed in accord with Conservation of Energy Principle) | Economy = act or system of exchange characterized by frugality and careful husbandry of vital balances and resources | Economy = act or system of exchange characterized by planned waste/obsolescence/pollution (Design is in profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| (The) Ego (The exclusive, divisive force acting in the human psyche) | The ego = “I” = self-centred force arising simultaneously with compassion in any moment of self-awareness | Typically: “I am reality! I am right! I am perfect. I know all! I control all. All is mine!..” (Born of division, the ego is characterized by divisiveness, acquisitiveness and arrogance) |
| Electricity (noun) | “Electricity” not used – “electrical” (adjective) used (A diverse range of electrical phenomena exist, each having unique properties and description) | Electricity = energy = power = Bulk-generated electrical commodities (These common commercial equations are in extreme denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Electricity Authority | Phrase not used – there is no such thing as electricity, only diverse electrical phenomena | Electricity Authority = Government agency charged with regulation of “Electricity Market” i.e. market for narrow range of electrical products (Exclusive phrase denies many valuable uses of our electrical potential) |
| Energy | Energy = the universal potential, all of which is active | Energy = power Energy= a form of energy e.g. fossilized biomass, an electrical commodity (These common commercial equations are in extreme denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Energy consultant/expert | Phrases not used (Every man is vitally intimate with energy; no man can know what energy is.) | Person who believes they know what energy is (Typically merchant promoting a few commodities as “energy”) |
| Energy Crisis | Phrase not used -energy is as bounteous as the universe (Unsustainable behaviour is identified and corrected) | Energy is problematic e.g. scarce, limited, unreliable, threatening (Typically the problem is caused by a minority of people abusing minerals and electrical commodities) |
| Energy Derivative | Phrase not used (The Conservation Principle of Energy holds – energy cannot be created, destroyed, generated, manufactured, traded or derived) | Energy = a few commodities =wealth (Delusional belief of merchants that their transactions create energy) |
| Energy Economics | Phrase not used – man can make economic uses of energy (“Economic” describes an act of frugality, care, stewardship) | Energy Economics = the social study of “fossil fuel” and “electricity” systems (Profound denial of Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Energy Efficiency | Energy efficiency = Civics = the art of living in accord with the Conservation of Energy Principle (Civics being the art of conserving the vital balances and flows that sustain Mankind) | Energy efficiency = the practice of “conserving energy” and using less energy (Typically the practice is associated with scarcity and deprivation) |
| Energy Failure | Phrase not used (Energy is as bounteous as the universe(s) | Energy is problematic, erratic, unreliable, limited (Typically the problems being experienced are caused by human error such as conflating a form of energy with energy) |
| Energy Sector | Phrase not used (Energy is the universal potential – all forms or groups of forms are of the universal potential i.e. are energy) | Energy sector = commodity sector – typically consisting of fossilized biomass and Bulk-manufactured electrical products (Profound denial of Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Energy Stocks | Phrase not used – The Conservation of Energy Principle holds true (Everything is a form of energy, including any and all human transactions) ( | Energy stocks = a few transactions – typically trades of fossilized biomass and Bulk=manufactured electrical products (Profound denial of Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Energy Threat | Phrase not used – energy is the universal potential, all of which is active (Man may only make wise or foolish uses of energy) | Energy threat = energy is malign, an evil force (Phrase typically employed when men have abused forms of energy) |
| Enhanced Greenhouse Effect | Phrase not used – Earth’s atmosphere is characterized by thermal convection and a life-enabling balance of potent Warmer Trace Gases. (Man destroys these balances at our peril) | Enhanced Greenhouse Effect = Earth’s atmosphere works like a greenhouse i.e. it is a human construct (Delusion that Man can geo-engineer Earth’s atmosphere) |
| Environment | Environment = milieu including Mankind (Compassionate definition generating inclusive language e.g. “Man is milieu/environment; milieu/environment is Man” | Environment = ecology Ego-derived definition generating delusional behaviour and exclusive language e.g. “Humans and the environment” |
| Extract Energy | Phrase not used (The Conservation of Energy Principle holds – human beings can only extract and transform forms of energy e.g. fossilized biomass) | Human beings can extract energy i.e. manufacture, generate, create energy (Profound denial of Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Extract Oil | Phrase not used – inclusive classification employed instead (Humans can extract, remove, draw, crush or pump a range of oils out from mammals, fish, plants, rocks etc with each type of oil having its own name) | Oil = mineral oil = oil (Exclusive definition of oil obscures finite nature of the mineral) |
| Form of Energy | A form of energy = a shape, appearance, image, manifestation of energy (Note: any form can be understood from many perspectives e.g. thermal, kinetic, electromagnetic, chemical, etc) | A form of energy = a perspective of a form e.g. thermal, kinetic, electromagnetic, chemical, etc (The conflation of “form” and “perspective” excludes the role of man in the universal flux) |
| Generating Energy | Phrase not used – Mankind can only generate forms of energy (The Conservation of Energy Principle holds) | Humans can generate energy i.e. add energy to the universe (Profound denial of Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Generating Power | Phrase not used – power is a measure of change as in the equation “Power = Energy/Time” (Power is the rate that the universal potential is manifest) | Power = Energy = Electricity = Bulk-manufactured electrical products (Multiple profound denials of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Global Thermal Balance | Global Thermal Balance = Earth, including all its life, exist because of a unique balance in the warming~cooling flux of the universe | (See delusional belief: Global Warming = Global Warming-Up) |
| Global Warming | Global Warming = the continuous life-enabling warming of planet Earth | Global warming = malevolent, problematic; to be combated, fought, stopped Global warming = global warming-up (Complete denial of both the thermodynamic process enabling life on Earth and our roles as stewards) |
| Greenhouse | Greenhouse = human construction using transparent cladding (typically glass or plastic) that is designed to enable plant photosynthesis while suppressing air convection | Greenhouse = human construction using transparent cladding (typically glass or plastic) that is designed to enable plant photosynthesis. Also potent symbol of Man’s dominion over Earth’s climate and ecosystem – see The Greenhouse World Religion |
| Greenhouse Earth | Phrase not used – Earth’s crust, oceans and atmosphere form a vast, complex dynamic system of flows and balances beyond the comprehension of Man | Earth’s atmosphere = a greenhouse i.e. Earth resides in a greenhouse (Evocation of the image of a greenhouse denies the potent convection forces driving Earth’s atmosphere) SeeThe Greenhouse World Religion |
| Greenhouse Effect | Phrase not used – Earth’s crust, oceans and atmosphere form a vast, complex dynamic system of flows and balances beyond the comprehension of Man | Greenhouse Effect = the processes of a greenhouse and Earth’s atmosphere are similar (Evocation of the image of a greenhouse denies the potent convection forces driving Earth’s atmosphere) |
| Greenhouse Gases | Greenhouse Gases = gases typically found in a greenhouse (See “Warmer Trace Gases” for atmospheric gases with high thermal capacity) | Gases in Earth’s atmosphere with high thermal capacity (Reinforces “greenhouse” belief system and obscures trace nature of the warmer gases) |
| Human-induced Climate Change | Human-induced climate change = sustained changes to weather patterns because of human activities | Phrase not used – typically the impacts of human activities are called “climate change” (Ego-driven conflation of “human-induced climate change” and “climate change” denies personal stewardship) |
| Industrial Revolution | An era of rapid change in technology use primarily due to human ingenuity | An era of rapid change in technology use for any reason, for example, The English Combustion Revolution |
| Information A physical phenomena | Information is physical i.e. universal, subject to the principles of energy and paradoxical (e.g. All forms are of information; no form is information e.g. Any form informs all even as it is informed by all) | Information = knowledge, data (Typical denial of the ego of the continuous, universal transformation) |
| Information Age | Phrase not used: information is physical i.e it is timeless as the universe(s) | The Information Age = global, knowledge-based society based on computerized information (Typical denial of the ego of the continuous, universal flux of information) |
| Information Technology (IT) | Phrase not used: information is physical i.e. all things are informing and informed | Information Technology = limited types of technology – typically involving computers and digitalized data (Typical denial of the ego of the continuous, universal transformation) |
| Law (of physics) | Word not used with regard to the ways of the universe (See “principle”) | Law = a system of rules created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior (Inherent denial of man’s role as a steward amidst the universal flux of information) |
| Man | Man = human being, person, people (Inclusive use generates unity and humility) | Man = adult male of the human race (Exclusive use generates divisiveness and delusions) |
| Mineral oil | Finite form of mineralized biomass formedMineral oil = finite form of mineralized biomass informed by climatic and tectonic forces over eons in unique conditions over eons | Phrase not used -typically called “oil” and/or “energy” (Profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Ministry (Minister) of Energy | Phrase not used – energy is the universal potential, which is beyond the ken of Mankind | Ministry of Energy = Government ministry typically responsible for the national or state use of fossilized biomass and bulk-generated electrical products. (Exclusive notion of energy is profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Ministry (Minister) of Energy and Resources | Phrase not used – energy is the universal potential, all of which is active and continuously renewing i.e. energy is a constant, universal resource | Ministry of Energy and Resources = Government ministry typically responsible for the national or state use of fossilized biomass and bulk-generated electrical products. (Exclusive notions of energy and resource compound to form extreme denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Ministry of New and Renewable Energy | Phrase not used – energy is the universal potential, all of which is active and continuously renewing i.e. it is ageless | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy = Government ministry typically responsible for the national or state use of micro-generated electrical products e.g. photovoltaic panels, low kWh wind turbines etc (Major denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Ministry (Minister) of Power | Phrase not used – power is the measure of the rate the universe is manifest | Ministry of Power = Government ministry typically responsible for the national or state use of bulk-generated electrical products. (Exclusive, confused notions of power limit and deny the manifestation of the vast universal potential, which is energy) |
| Oil | Oil = any of numerous unctuous, combustible , easily liquefied substances | Oil = mineral oil = fossil fuel = energy (Profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Philosophy | Philosophy = a way of being = the loving of wisdom i.e. the experience of compassionately searching for and rigorously investigating the profound truths of the universal potential and living them. | Philosophy = a way of thinking = developing “the ability to reason carefully, analyze arguments, and express complex ideas clearly and concisely” (Definition facilitates denial of stewardship: the ego can easily have us think and say one thing while behaving to the contrary i.e. act amorally) |
| Physics | Physics = The systematic, moral analysis of the nature of all phenomena, all of which involve universal interconnection and paradox | Physics = “The study of matter, energy, and the interaction between them” i.e. physics is an amoral body of knowledge (Disassociation of mind from physics enables denial of stewardship and amoral use of information) |
| Potential | Potential = that which is powerful, able, possible; anything that may be (Ultimately that which is universally possible according to the principles of physics) | Potential = “possible” (as opposed to “actual”) e.g. potential energy v kinetic energy (Profound denial of human role amidst the universal continuous transformation) |
| Potential energy | Phrase not used – energy is the universal potential, all of which is active (Humans can only make manifest, explore or discover the universal potential) | There are two types of energy: potential (unmoving, inactive) energy and kinetic (moving, active) energy (Profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Power | Power = a measure: ultimately the measure of the rate the universe is manifest e.g. joules/second, Watt, horsepower etc | Power = energy = electricity = select electrical products (Multiple confusion and denial the principles of physics) |
| Power Crisis/Failure | Phrase not used – see delusional use of the word “power”. | Power Crisis/Failure= energy/electricity are problematic, unreliable, unsustainable (Crisis typically caused by addictive uses of an electrical product) |
| Power Sector | Phrase not used -see delusional use of the word “power”. | Power Sector = Description of sector of society consisting of engineers and traders of Bulk-generated electrical products |
| Principle (of physics) | Principle = a proposition or value that is a guide for behavior or evaluation (A man exists amidst the universal transformation and can never be all-knowing) | Word not used – “law” used instead (Denial of the essential uncertainty of man’s role amidst the universal flux) |
| Produce mineral oil | Phrase not used – mineral oil is produced by terrestrial forces over eons and humans can only extract it | Produce (mineral) oil = humans can create/generate/manufacture mineral oil on an epoch scale (Dangerous denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Psychology | Psychology = existential study of “breath, spirit, soul” (Fundamentally the development of the skills of compassion, in particular the skills at transcending paradox) | Psychology = academic study of and corpus of knowledge of (human) behavior and mind (Disassociation of mind from universal transformation enables profound denial of change/stewardship) |
| Renewable Energy | Phrase not used -The Conservation Principle of Energy holds – energy is renewed i.e. energy is a constant | Energy = renewable energy + non-renewable energy (Profound denial of the Conservation Principle of Energy) |
| Renewable sources/forms of energy | Renewable sources/forms of energy = sources and forms of energy that can arise again and again (Mankind’s survival depends on our actions conserving those that sustain us) | (This belief enables denial of our roles as stewards of vital minerals and resources) |
| Resource | Resource =a form that arises again and again i.e. it is a re-source | Resource = any activity that maximizes short-term profits for merchant traders e.g. burning and and all biomass (Profound denial of the Conservation Principle of Energy) |
| Save Our Planet | Phrase not used -Man can only attempt to live in harmony with the immense forces of planet Earth | Planet Earth is problematic, in distress, dependant on the will of Man (Typical of ego-derived denial of our role as stewards of the balances and flows of Earth that sustain us) |
| Saving Energy | Phrase not used (The Conservation of Energy Principle holds – energy is conserved and Man can neither save nor destroy it) | Saving energy = energy is limited/scarce and Man can conserve, save, waste or destroy it (Complete denial of the Conservation Principle of Energy) |
| Saving Power | Phrase not used – power is a measurement, ultimately the measure of the rate the universal potential (energy) is manifest | Saving power = saving or limiting consumption of certain bulk-generated electrical products (Phrase typically derived from delusional belief that energy = power = electricity = bulk-generated electrical products) |
| Science (process) | Science (process) = profound moral process arising from the experience of compassion enabling the development of all manner of sustainable arts (skills) i.e. Civics | Science (process) =rigorous way of inductive, deductive and abductive thinking (Exclusive, amoral thought-process facilitates ego-driven behaviour) |
| Science (product) | Science (product) = Sustaining skills, information and insights enabled by experience of compassion | Science (product) = “Corpus or body of knowledge” produced by “scientists” using inductive, deductive and abductive thinking (Exclusive, amoral thought-product facilitates ego-driven behaviour) |
| Science Fraternity | Phrase not used – any human being is both a scientist and a non-scientist to some degree | Science Fraternity = Exclusive elite of less than 1% of Mankind who are self-classified as “scientists” (This ego-derived belief facilitates denial of stewardship/change) |
| Science World | Phrase not used (Information is physical – all men are scientific beings to some degree amidst the universal flux of information) | Science World = exclusive body of knowledge that is domain of elite of man called “scientists” (This ego-derived belief facilitates denial of stewardship/change) |
| Scientist | Phrase not used – every man is simultaneously both a scientist and non-scientist to some degree | Scientist = member of an exclusive elite of man skilled in investigating an aspect of existence using inductive, deductive and abductive thinking (This ego-derived belief facilitates denial of stewardship/change) |
| Sustainable Energy | Phrase not used – man can only make sustainable uses of forms of energy (Energy is sustained in accord with the Conservation of Energy Principle) | (Energy is sustained in accord with the Conservation of Energy Principle Energy = sustainable energy + non-sustainable energy (Profound denial of the Conservation of Energy Principle) |
| Trace | A minute and often barely detectable amount or indication | Word seldom used with regard to change (“Trace” forms inconvenient reminder that small elements or differences in initial conditions can yield widely diverging outcomes for dynamical systems -see Chaos Theory and “Butterfly Effect”) |
| Trace Gases | Gases constituting in total less than 0.1% of the atmosphere -includes the most potent warmer gases | Phrase seldom used (Inconvenient reminder re stewardship that a man’s changes to minute elements of a system can generate disproportionately large change in it) |
| Transforming Energy | Transforming energy = changing any form of energy into other forms of energy (All forms are continuously transforming amidst the universal transformation) | Transforming energy = originating/generating/producing/begetting energy (Profound denial of Conservation Principle of Energy – typically used with regard to exclusive group of electrical products) |
| Transformer | Any form is a transformer of the universal potential even as it is transformed by all the other elements of it. (The Conservation of Energy Principle holds) | Transformer = device for altering the voltage of electrical currents (Exclusive use = profound denial of the continuous, universal transformation) |
| Transforming Power | Phrase not used – power is the rate of change i.e. the measure of the rate the universal potential is manifest | Transforming power = altering the voltage of electrical currents (Typically involves the conflation of power with exclusive group of electrical products) |
| Warmer Trace Gases | Warmer Trace Gases Warmer trace gases = some of the trace gases in atmosphere which have a disproportionate capacity to retain thermal energy in Earth’s surface i.e. act as significant warmers of the planet | Phrase not used – these gases are typically called “greenhouse gases” instead (Use of “greenhouse gas” phrase obscures reality these potent warmer gases exist in trace quantities and enables denial of change/stewardship) |
| Warming | Warming = the process whereby a quantity of energy is transferred to anything as heat (Anything is a temporary balance of continuous warming – cooling amidst universal thermal flux – its state is stable and its temperature remains unchanged) | Warming = warming up i.e. warming causes a thermal imbalance, changed temperature and unstable state (Profound denial of fundamental thermodynamics and change of state) |
| Warming -Up | Warming-up = the process whereby a greater quantity of energy is transferred to anything as heat than is transferred away from it as heat (Anything ceases to be when its rate of warming is greater than its rate of cooling -its temperature tends to rise and its state become unstable) | Warming up = warming i.e. the thermal balance of a thing prevails with unchanged temperature and stable state (Profound denial of fundamental thermodynamics and change of state) |
| Zero Carbon Economy | Phrase not used = all men exist as carbon beings amidst the universal carbon flux ) | Zero Carbon Economy = men and their systems can exist independent of the universal carbon flux (Profound denial of the universal change and stewardship of man’s use of the carbon potential) |
| Zero Waste | Phrase not used – entropy occurs in some way with every action of the universe (Stewardship involves recognizing and minimizing the entropy of vital minerals and resources) | Zero waste = the belief that man can act in ways that are exempt from the principles of physics (Profound denial of fundamental thermodynamics and the continuous universal transformation) |