Categories Quote by David First
“To me, everything in the world comes down to two categories: "about-ness" and "is-ness". "About" represents or describes something, while "Is" is the thing itself.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Philosophy of Existence, 2018
Existence divides into "about‑ness" (description) and "is‑ness" (the thing itself).
In simple terms: Two categories of being.
Key Takeaway
Distinguish description from reality.
Themes
ontology
philosophy
semantics
Mood
thought‑provoking
analytical
Type
lecture
quotation
When to use this quote
- debates
- teaching
- writing
Key Concepts
metaphysics
identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate "about" and "is"?
- Can something be both simultaneously?
A Different Perspective
The line between description and being can blur.
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![“I read so ravenously that I would read through whole categories. I was crazy about reading biographies. [...] I think biographies are very urgent to children.” quote by Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a53/joan-didion-497_biographies_i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-t_43631.jpg)
