It's all about the words we use . . .

We as peoples are a people of communication. We communicate by using words. All our lives revolve around such communication or lack thereof. Therefore, the words that we use are very important.

Recently, I have been accused of arguing too much about words and their definitions, and that such arguments really do not matter. Obviously I am in disagreement but it seems to be a road with no outlet if the other wants to claim that its simply 'semantics,' (as if it some sort of rhetorical tool I pull out in order to 'win' the discussion).

Let me reveal some of my experience. I am out in a shop with others working on a vehicle. Everybody in the room is way more mechanically inclined than I, (some even being professional mechanics). While I am assisting the work, they ask me to fetch tools and parts by their specific names, (almosting knowing that I may not know that I do not know the names). This is revealed because of the impatience that is shown when I have to repeatedly ask "what is that? Is it this one?" At the same time, they seem to never decide to simply point at the tool/part which could be easier for me and the quickness of the task at hand. The point is, this was a problem of semantics.

Or take going to the doctor. When someone breaks a bone in the body, we go to the doctor who takes us through all sorts of tests and examinations. Most everything that is spoken from the doctor is in it's formal, doctor language. The doctors never say, "well, i am going to hook you up to this thingy to see how fast the beeps are going for a little while." They explain whatever is happening in its formal language. They will even tell us our breaks and diseases in their fomal classifications, and we patients almost expect such talk. At least its never considered the downfall of doctors. Once again, semantics.

I suppose that these professions, among other professions, can be semantical, or use specific language because of some practical fact that these are usually physical items that we can handle and wrestle with, whereas in philosophy and theology, we are dealing with ideas and sometimes more abstract concepts.

This seems to me that in the abstract, should we use vague language? If we are talking about ideas, should we be ambiguous? Why should we be unclear when we could be clear?