Names are not the things they name. Classes are not…
““Names are not the things they name. Classes are not coextensive with subclasses.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Names are symbols, not the entities they denote; categories are not always perfectly nested.
In simple terms: Names are symbols; categories differ.
Recognize limits of classification.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- software design
- legal definitions
- scientific classification
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle ambiguous classifications?
- When do you need new terminology?
Rigid categories can oversimplify complexity.