The Future at Different Ranges: It Always is Abstract

Whether one considers the immediate future, the future of a few hours, of a few days or of one’s entire lifespan, one does so abstractly. Although the actions one takes are concretely real and the end result would be concretely real, one’s consideration of the future while acting in the present is abstract.

Aside: The term “career planning” is an attempt to plan one’s future using terms that are only applicable to the past: it represents the mistake of attempting to grasp the future perceptually. The future can only be grasped abstractly.

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Tags: future, planning, ball-handler, career planning, action, abstract, concrete, range, time, learning, automatization

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Fundamental tidbits for getting the most from this world by the use of one's intellect.

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The Future at Different Ranges: It Always is Abstract

The Future: It always is abstract

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 17, 2009 (mp3)

intransigent adjective

: characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude : uncompromising

Example

Ms. Baxter was intransigent about her most famous rule: no gum or candy in her classroom unless you'd brought enough to share with everybody.

Did you know?

English speakers borrowed "intransigent" in the 19th century from Spanish "intransigente" ("uncompromising"), itself a combination of the familiar prefix "in-" ("not") and "transigente" ("willing to compromise"). "Transigente" comes from the Spanish verb "transigir" ("to compromise"), which in turn comes from Latin "transigere" ("to come to an agreement"). The French have a similar verb, "transiger," which also means "to compromise." You may wonder if the word "transigent" exists in English, and the answer is "not really." It has seen occasional use, but it is not well established. There is, however, one other common English word that traces from Latin "transigere": "transact," meaning "to conduct (business)."

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