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[Gary McCallister]

It's my theory that naming things is an extremely important cognitive function. Not joking here. What was one of Adams first tasks in the garden? Name everything. (Course he was looking for a girl, but still he named everything.)

As soon as we name something it can then be used in the abstract. Real things are the things we hold in our hands, but abstractions can't be held in our hands, but can be talked about and used to form categories. So we can talk about the speciifc mccallister that is present, or you can talk about the category of mccallisters which share similar characteristics.

Whats the biggest problem using the computer? File management. And the solution is naming files logically. When we name something we are applying all of our past knowledge to create a new category. This is actually very high mental activity.

Yea my kids usually discuss names with Gaydra and I. But I think it's mostly to figure out what they don't want to do. Maybe their just being kind and trying to make us feel like we were part of the process. The old "buy-in" theory. I don't recall them ever doing anything I suggested.
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Gary McCallister
http://www.onemanmormonbluesband.com/home.html
http://flaming-moth.blogspot.com/
http://beebarbeeranch.blogspot.com/

[sachiko]

Okay, I have been wanting to ask you about your file management for some time now, since you first mentioned it. SHould I start a new thread?

I've heard there are 3 ways to get something done:

1.Do it yourself
2. Pay someone to do it
3. Tell your kids NOT to do it

FWIW.

So a name creates the abstraction of something, something intangible that is nevertheless real. So it's like ensouling something?

(is that too much of a stretch?)
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Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulders, and Your hand over my mouth.

http://sachikosays.livejournal.com

[T. Lynn Adams]

Gary, you are right...names are vitally important. The Jews believed that Adam possessed a book that held all the callings for all the people in the world and when that child was born they consulted the book, discovered the calling and gave the child a name that would remind him daily of his mission and calling in life. That is why so many Biblical names are 'prophetic'.

The book was lovingly taken back into Heaven during Noah's lifetime because too many were not fulfilling their callings.

Personally, I would like to know what I promised to do in this life. I am sure I did promise to do and accomplish certain things but I can't seem to remember what they were.

There is power in a name and social stigma as well if we aren't careful.

Sachiko, your husband is funny. "I rilla, rilla like it"

The weirdest name I heard of was in the MTC. An elder in our district had a nephew with a VERY long name that he could rattle off at any second. Each name came from the scriptures. I don't remember the very long name but it was designed so the initials would spell ZACHARIAH (which is what they called the kid). His brother was working on a legal name next so the initials would spell MAHONRI MORIANTUMR.

I've always wondered if he succeeded and if I will ever bump into a 17 name (plus a last name) person!

T. Lynn
T. Lynn
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Tombs of Terror, YA adventure fiction
Author's Website: http://tlynnadams.blogspot.com/

My LDS Thoughts http://myldsthoughts.blogspot.com/

"The greatest books have yet to be written, the greatest inventions have yet to be made." -Rex R. Reeve

[sachiko]

Patriarchal blessing = recieving a name

Actually, come to think of it, in many cultures events/rites of passage are marked by recieving a new name.

[sachiko]

I heard some biologist out there named his son E. coli. As a middle name. But still.

But then I give my blond kids Japanese names, so, look who's talking.
_________________
Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulders, and Your hand over my mouth.

http://sachikosays.livejournal.com

[Gary McCallister]

How ironic. My name, Gary, literally means "spear bearer" (and the early McCallister in Scotland were mercenaries. There is a branch of the family in Missouri (non-members) where every other person is a career soldier. The pacifists in my life were from my Mother side, bunch of Swedes.

When you name something, you create a new concept that becomes the definition for an entire set of similar things. I guess that is like creating a soul. Therefore, Fortitude would not be a good name for a young man until, at least , well after middle school, and probably high school.

One of my Lab classes in Microbiology gave me a t-shirt with a picture of E. coli on EMB agar. This gives a unique color indication that is quite diagnostic. I made the mistake of observing to the class that I thought such a t-shirt would be cool because it would be a little like expressing ones opinion off the world, but no one would know the wearer was being obscene. I forgot about cell phones and modern transfer technology. So I just shrugged and wore it to the Ward picnic. No one knew what it was.
_________________
Gary McCallister
http://www.onemanmormonbluesband.com/home.html
http://flaming-moth.blogspot.com/
http://beebarbeeranch.blogspot.com/

[T. Lynn Adams]

I don't know what it is. Explain, please ...in v-e-r-y s-i-m-p-l-e terms.

See, Sachiko, you don't want to borrow my brain--especially at night when it's really shut down!

T. Lynn
_________________
Tombs of Terror, YA adventure fiction
Author's Website: http://tlynnadams.blogspot.com/

My LDS Thoughts http://myldsthoughts.blogspot.com/

"The greatest books have yet to be written, the greatest inventions have yet to be made." -Rex R. Reeve

[Gary McCallister]

Eshcerichia coli is a bacteria that lives in the colon. It is a benign organism for the most part and necessary for normal gut function. But it also is the predominant characteristic of . . . uhm, manure. It grows with a characteristic color and appearance when grown on EMB Agar that is diagnostic. Another Microbiologist would know what you have on your shirt, but most people would not. Sort of a subtle and underground way of making a statement. Admittedly perhaps not a statement one should make, but on some days . . . .
_________________
Gary McCallister
http://www.onemanmormonbluesband.com/home.html
http://flaming-moth.blogspot.com/
http://beebarbeeranch.blogspot.com/

[sachiko]

Kind of like, "There are 10 kinds of people in this world: People who understand binary and people who don't." ?

Or the bumper sticker, "If this looks red, you're going too fast."

Science in-jokes. Heh heh heh.
_________________
Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulders, and Your hand over my mouth.

http://sachikosays.livejournal.com