As you may know, unsanity is a popular topic in general semantics. It is distinguished in some way or another from insanity, but it’s not quite clear how the two concepts are distinguished in general semantics. In this post, I’d like to make a stab at distinguishing the two concepts.<\/p>\n
‘<\/span><\/div>For an updated perspective on this topic, click here<\/a> for a post from December 4th, 2010.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In the last year, I’ve stumbled upon an understanding of unsanity by relating it to sanity. In general semantics, you are probably familiar with the adage “The map is not the territory.” That adage can be viewed as a metaphor for understanding speech and its relationship with physical reality.\u00a0This adage\u00a0also forwards a useful concept of sanity, and by default, a useful\u00a0concept of unsanity.<\/p>\n
Actual physical reality\u00a0be thought of as a territory.\u00a0 Most speech (both written and spoken) is like a map of this territory–a map of\u00a0actual physical reality. Putting these two notions together, sanity can be understood as having your speech in synch with actual physical reality.<\/p>\n
‘<\/span><\/div>“The Earth is fairly round.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Unsanity can be thought of as not<\/em> having your speech in synch with actual physical reality.<\/p>\n
‘<\/span><\/div>“The Earth is flat.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
What is implied by the statement that unsanity is not having your speech in synch with actual physical reality is that your speech forwards a delusional view of actual physical reality.<\/p>\n
A way I like to put this is that unsanity is being fueled by fancy (rather than fact), and sanity is being fueled by fact (rather than fancy).<\/p>\n
Now, insanity (with an i) is different than unsanity (with a u).\u00a0 “Insanity” and “unsanity” are not synonymous terms, nor should they be.\u00a0 In general semantics, insanity\u00a0seems to be\u00a0seen as something more problematic than unsanity.\u00a0 Here is where I take a stab at the differences between the two concepts.<\/p>\n
Much of my current understanding of insanity comes from listening to people use the word “insane” or “crazy.”\u00a0 I have a pretty zany sense of humor, and it’s not uncommon for me to be affectionately called “insane” or “crazy.”\u00a0 (There is also a conceptual\u00a0difference between “insane” and “crazy” but I’ll leave that for another post.1<\/a><\/sup>)\u00a0 In thinking about what I’m doing and what elicits the comment “You’re insane!,” it strikes me that the general thread running through my behavior that leads a person to say that is that I’m doing something that could get me into trouble.\u00a0 That is, insanity is behaving in a way\u00a0that can cause\u00a0oneself trouble.\u00a0 If I do something that could get me in trouble, someone might be inclined to call me “insane.”<\/p>\n
For example, it\u00a0might be insane for me to play on railroad tracks.\u00a0 It might be insane for me to drink bleach.\u00a0 It might be insane for me to say something rude to another actor.\u00a0 It might be insane for me to write a threatening letter.\u00a0 Etc.\u00a0 These actions aren’t truly insane, but instead they are judged by another person as<\/em> insane.\u00a0 There may actually be nothing all that troubling about the actions, because I might be quite safe in doing them.\u00a0 (Think: Is a trapeze artist insane if he has a net?\u00a0 He might not be thought of as behaving in a way that is going to cause him trouble because he is protected …)<\/p>\n
So, with this understanding that insanity is behaving in a way that causes onseself trouble, let’s compare it with unsanity, believing in fancy over fact, i.e., having one’s speech out of synch with actual physical reality.<\/p>\n
Already you can see a very big difference.\u00a0 Unsanity has to do with conceptualization of reality.\u00a0 Insanity has to do with goal-directed behavior.\u00a0 Insanity in some sense is doing that which will interfere with the achievement of one’s goals rather than aiding one’s own pursuit.\u00a0 It is practially goal-opposing behavior.\u00a0 Unsanity has to do with reporting reality in a way that is inaccurate.<\/p>\n
Given this, you may see how unsanity can lead to insanity.\u00a0 If I conceptualize the railroad tracks as safe to play on, I might get myself into trouble.\u00a0 If I conceptualize a net as secure when I do trapeze work, I might get myself into trouble.<\/p>\n
I can’t say that at press I’m 100% behind\u00a0these concepts of unsanity and insanity, but I’m liking the distinction so far.\u00a0 For example, as mentioned in prior posts, definition has to do with conceptualization, and it is goal-directed behavior, so unsanity can be seen as behavior and, at that, trouble-inducing.\u00a0 I’m okay for now for some overlap in the concepts, but generally speaking they are quite distinct.<\/p>\n
If you have thoughts or your own distinction, please comment below.<\/p>\n