an online book by David Gurteen
Meaning is the purpose and significance attributed to something, giving it a sense of value, understanding, or relevance in our life or the world.
Non-linguistic (or pre-linguistic) meaning is a type of meaning not mediated or perceived through linguistic signs. In linguistics, the concept is used in discussions. It is whether about such meaning is different from meaning expressed through language (i.e.
Credit: Wikipedia - Meaning_(non-linguistic)Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life, he can only respond by being responsible. | Viktor Frankl Continue reading Each Man Is Questioned by Life Viktor Frankl
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl is a poignant and introspective work that delves into the depths of the human experience. Drawing from his experiences in Nazi concentration camps, Frankl explores the fundamental question of finding meaning and purpose in life. Through his reflections and insights, he illuminates the resilience of the human spirit Continue reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (1946)
Organizations live or die in the swarm of daily interchange in complimenting and criticizing, passing and retaining information, smiling and frowning, asking and answering, demanding and resisting, controlling and consenting. What injects meaning into one’s work is derived neither from the individual alone, nor environmental forces, but from … | Kenneth Gergen Continue reading Organizations Live or Die in the Swarm Kenneth Gergen
Whether you want to change the political or economic system, save the whales, stop global warming, reform education, spark innovation or anything else, the answer is in how meaning, and understanding of what needs to be done, emerges from conversation in community with people you love, people who care. | Dave Pollard Continue reading What Needs to Be Done, Emerges From Conversation Dave Pollard
Dialogic names a way of thinking grounded in conversation, difference, and shared meaning across perspectives. Much discussion today treats ideas as fixed positions to defend, closing down understanding and change. A dialogic stance keeps meaning open, treats others as co-participants, and allows insight to emerge through ongoing conversation together. Continue reading Living Dialogically Finding meaning through conversation and difference
AI can describe almost anything with remarkable fluency. Yet description is not the same as understanding. Real understanding grows from lived experience, from being in a living relationship with the world, rather than merely naming it. Continue reading The Meaning of an Apple What AI can describe but never experience
Language shapes how we think, learn, and lead together. When one voice claims certainty, conversation narrows, and meaning hardens. A dialogic voice keeps inquiry alive by holding multiple perspectives in play and allowing understanding to emerge through relationship rather than assertion. Continue reading Finding Our Dialogic Voice Learning through many voices
Suppose we were able to share meanings freely without a compulsive urge to impose our view or conform to those of others and without distortion and self-deception. Would this not constitute a real revolution in culture? | David Bohm Continue reading A Real Revolution in Culture David Bohm
Shared meaning is often assumed rather than examined. Words are treated as if they carry the same meaning for everyone, even though experience, context, and power shape how meaning is made. Shared meaning emerges through real conversation, sustained attention, and the ability to act together despite difference. Continue reading Shared Meaning To understand each other’s perspectives well enough to accept them
We use the word meaning all the time, often assuming it is clear and stable. The problem is that meaning is usually treated as something contained in words rather than something that arises in use and relationship. A relational view shifts attention from definitions to interaction, context, and what meaning makes possible. Continue reading Rethinking Meaning How meaning arises through use and relationship
We live in overlapping layers of meaning: personal, cultural, emotional, and historical. The challenge is that most data ignores this complexity, offering facts without context. Warm data provides a different approach: attending to the subtle, relational patterns that shape how things work and what truly matters in any situation. Continue reading Warm Data Information that is alive
We respond to the world not only through thought but also through what feels possible. Sometimes things invite action without explanation. Understanding affordance helps us notice these silent cues and shape conditions that make different actions more likely. Continue reading Affordance Is About Possibility ** Understanding action through the relationship between people and things
What is the meaning of life from an individual perspective? In other words, what is my or your purpose for being here? Continue reading What Is the Meaning of Life? ** What is the meaning of an individual human life?
Responsibility begins with the recognition that we always have some freedom in how we respond. Too often, we give that freedom away through blame, resentment, or waiting for others to act. By taking responsibility, we recover our agency and begin to shape our lives, conversations, and shared world. Continue reading Responsibility We need to take responsibility for the changes we wish to see in the world
