Wisdom is recognizing that definitions are arbitrary. According to one arbitrary definition (by botanists) of “fruit,” a tomato is a fruit; according to another, equally arbitrary definition (by cooks) of “vegetable,” a tomato is a vegetable. I don’t expect botanists to prepare meals or cooks to figure out how plants work. Problems arise when we act as though some one group should be able to force its definitions on other groups instead of letting eaxch group do its own thing its own way.
Wisdom is recognizing that definitions are arbitrary. According to one arbitrary definition (by botanists) of “fruit,” a tomato is a fruit; according to another, equally arbitrary definition (by cooks) of “vegetable,” a tomato is a vegetable. I don’t expect botanists to prepare meals or cooks to figure out how plants work. Problems arise when we act as though some one group should be able to force its definitions on other groups instead of letting eaxch group do its own thing its own way.