The Meaning Of Words



One of my "Pet Peeves" is the misuse of words. Individuals all make mistakes, but increasingly the misuse of words is not a typographical error, slip in spell check, ... etc. Take this story as an example:

Link : Judge Compliments Sex Offender Before Rendering Guilty Verdict

Put aside the obvious incredulous nature of a compliment to a sex offender and consider this line, "I have to come to the conclusion that you are either the wisest guilty man or the guiltiest wise man in the county."

The flasher may have defended himself well, but that is unlikely "wisdom." Remember the phrase, "A individual who defends himself has a fool for a client?" "Skill" is not "wisdom."

These words and phrases are not identical in meaning:

a. intelligence - an intellectual capability, think I.Q.
b. knowledgeable - the accumulation of facts, skills, ...
c. wisdom - knowledge is acquire by experience and age and is accompanies just judgment
d. common sense - the practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training

Thus the pervert in question was intelligent enough to learn the law and knowledgeable enough of the law to defend himself, but lacked the wisdom to get a defense lawyer and the common sense to not get caught flashing again.

The Judge lacked the common sense to not compliment a sex offender.

The Florida Bar, the Judge would seem to imply, lacked the intelligence and knowledge of a pervert.

Florida must be so proud.