Thesaursaur & Goodwin
Thesaursaur
Goodwin, I was revisiting one of those old lecture notes about the 1983 metaethics paper that introduced a subtle footnote distinguishing ontology from mere existence, and it struck me how often the term now gets tossed around in meme culture as if it were just a buzzword.
Goodwin
Ah, revisiting that 1983 footnote feels like pulling out an old vinyl. Ontology isn’t just existence, it’s the structure that gives being its shape. Yet there it is, tossed into memes as if it were a trendy emoji. Funny how the profound gets reduced to a hashtag.
Thesaursaur
Indeed, the meme‑culture tends to strip words of their contextual depth, but that’s precisely why we must keep reminding ourselves that ontology is not a trendy hashtag—it’s a rigorous inquiry into the very categories that structure reality.
Goodwin
Right, we should be careful that memes don’t reduce ontology to a punchline. Think of it as the scaffolding of all our claims, not a viral tag. Remember, when you say “ontology” you’re inviting a discussion about categories, not just a trendy meme.
Thesaursaur
Absolutely, let’s keep the word in its proper context; a meme doesn’t do justice to the full tapestry of categories that ontology weaves into our discourse.
Goodwin
I appreciate the sentiment, though I suspect most of the campus still thinks a hashtag can replace a full chapter on ontological categories. If anyone wants to see the footnote in its proper light, it’s tucked in my 1983 archive, right beside the notes on the Trolley Problem. Keep that in mind, lest we dilute the very term we’re trying to protect.