Keeping in form with the theme of my blog, I do write occasional ramblings, and today looks to be one of them. I have often contemplated some of the deeper ramifications of the truth behind one of the most famous phrases in all of literature, spoken by Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

At first glance, the casual reader would take this comment at face value and realize that the truth in the statement is that, no matter what we choose to call something, it does not change the existence of that thing or idea: it remains just as it was before. If I were to declare myself to be a pilot, it obviously does not automatically make me one. On the contrary, it actually enhances the awareness of my lack of knowledge in the area of piloting. In the case of Juliet’s metaphor, if we were to call a rose a skunk, not only would the flower not become the animal, but the concept of “skunk” ingrained within us would emphasize the sweet smell of the flower that much more.

That is the general premise that got me thinking: what would happen if we were to take this line of thinking to the extreme in the opposite direction? Read more