My roommate is an ecology major, and studying "how organisms affect and are affected by other members, living and non-living alike, of local and global systems" seems to be exactly what he does. In fact, he just defined it to me now as "the study of interactions of organisms with one another and with their environment." Which is pretty much what Larry said, except Larry, to quote my roommate, "went one step further and defined 'environment.'"
So... I'm pretty sure what Larry said is a very correct and modern definition of the word "ecology."
So... I'm pretty sure what Larry said is a very correct and modern definition of the word "ecology."
Now talk to an english major and get the definition for conotative and denotative meaning.
Words and pharses have multiple meaning in english depending on context. How many different meanings can you communicate with the word "no"?
Archaic, as in not what the word conveys in common speech, in a given context. If I say "I am going to the theater." You will most likely think of movies, but what if I mean a play. If I say "I am going outside and burn a faggot", you will probably call the police to stop a murder, but what if I mean a cigarette, or perhaps to start a campfire. English is a tricky beast.
Make sense now?
The scientific and common definition/concept of a word offen are at odds. It is all about the context.
First off, it's not an antiquated use of the word. If anything, ecology is an inkhorn portmanteau that caught on in scientific and later, popular culture and it has very few variant meanings. Its meaning does not vary across regions, countries, or time. So arguing that it is "archaic" is a very strange set of reasoning.
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie
Je suis méchant.
Je suis méchant.

Frank Herbert, Dune Chronicles (series reviews within)
16/04/2010 04:11:40 AM
- 1938 Views
Re: Frank Herbert, Dune
16/04/2010 06:09:49 PM
- 1054 Views
Re: Frank Herbert, Dune
17/04/2010 12:08:06 AM
- 1244 Views
Re: Frank Herbert, Dune
17/04/2010 02:33:38 PM
- 1172 Views
Not all themes are intended by the author. That doesn't mean they aren't there.
17/04/2010 06:54:14 PM
- 1213 Views
Re: Not all themes are intended by the author. That doesn't mean they aren't there.
17/04/2010 10:44:18 PM
- 1060 Views
I was using a fairly precise term when I said "ecological"
18/04/2010 12:13:14 AM
- 1173 Views
Re: I was using a fairly precise term when I said "ecological"
18/04/2010 03:34:33 AM
- 1222 Views
Please read linked interview...as I call bullshit. Also, why are your walls white?
18/04/2010 05:18:07 AM
- 1031 Views
Re: Please read linked interview...as I call bullshit. Also, why are your walls white?
19/04/2010 06:15:26 PM
- 1061 Views
That was most of my issue.
21/04/2010 12:12:56 AM
- 928 Views
Just because something plays a dominate role doesn't make it a theme
21/04/2010 02:09:42 PM
- 1026 Views
Thank you for saying concisely the point I have been trying to make. *NM*
21/04/2010 06:34:12 PM
- 437 Views
A theme is merely a dominant strain in a story; there can be more than one theme present
21/04/2010 11:21:38 PM
- 957 Views
Re: A theme is merely a dominant strain in a story; there can be more than one theme present
22/04/2010 04:58:01 AM
- 938 Views
Re: A theme is merely a dominant strain in a story; there can be more than one theme present
22/04/2010 04:08:28 PM
- 881 Views
Texts have different interpretations and Readers emphasize different aspects
22/04/2010 09:28:05 PM
- 972 Views
Re: Texts have different interpretations and Readers emphasize different aspects
23/04/2010 05:22:22 PM
- 913 Views
Re: Just because something plays a dominate role doesn't make it a theme
29/04/2010 11:36:45 PM
- 991 Views
Not really sure how Larry's definition is archaic.
19/04/2010 07:52:27 PM
- 1053 Views
Re: Not really sure how Larry's definition is archaic.
20/04/2010 07:04:40 PM
- 915 Views
You're not using "archaic" correctly
20/04/2010 10:07:31 PM
- 919 Views
Your patronizing manner aside, that's not "archaic" at all.
21/04/2010 01:46:50 AM
- 807 Views
Re: Your patronizing manner aside, that's not "archaic" at all.
21/04/2010 06:23:24 PM
- 1034 Views
People who see this as an ecological book are missing the point of the book
16/04/2010 06:28:40 PM
- 1415 Views
Books can have more than one theme. Great books almost always do. *NM*
16/04/2010 07:15:11 PM
- 460 Views
I agree with that I just never really the ecological theme to Dune
16/04/2010 10:12:26 PM
- 1116 Views
There are several points to the book/series
17/04/2010 12:11:38 AM
- 1138 Views
Everyone get something different from a book
19/04/2010 07:01:51 PM
- 1323 Views
I believe those themes become more pronounced later in the series
20/04/2010 10:09:36 PM
- 1077 Views
I remember having hated every single character of this book. Some random thoughts
17/04/2010 05:08:25 PM
- 1266 Views
Well, I enjoyed more of the characters this time around, if that helps
18/04/2010 12:14:43 AM
- 1149 Views
Re: Frank Herbert, Dune
17/04/2010 08:05:16 PM
- 1521 Views
I guess we'll have a few disagreements here, Dom
17/04/2010 10:22:27 PM
- 1319 Views

Re: I guess we'll have a few disagreements here, Dom
18/04/2010 04:38:10 AM
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Re: I guess we'll have a few disagreements here, Dom
19/04/2010 04:04:43 AM
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Re: I guess we'll have a few disagreements here, Dom
22/04/2010 04:31:26 AM
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I thought all of Dune had begun as a serial in a SF magazine. *NM*
22/04/2010 01:58:22 PM
- 403 Views
Dune Messiah (2001 initial read; 2010 re-read)
19/04/2010 08:42:18 AM
- 1173 Views
Re: Dune Messiah (2001 initial read; 2010 re-read)
21/04/2010 03:33:46 PM
- 909 Views
I didn't see that in Alia
21/04/2010 11:27:22 PM
- 854 Views
There were a few scenes displaying Alia's abilities/mindset. (spoilers)
22/04/2010 03:54:32 PM
- 848 Views
OK, that makes a bit more sense, as I wasn't for sure what you were arguing at first
22/04/2010 09:14:46 PM
- 944 Views
One of my favorite series!
21/04/2010 03:30:57 PM
- 855 Views
I didn't "miss it" as much as I chose to deemphasize it
21/04/2010 11:29:50 PM
- 776 Views
Re: I didn't "miss it" as much as I chose to deemphasize it
22/04/2010 04:02:26 PM
- 898 Views
Heretics of Dune (2001 initial read; 2010 re-read)
28/04/2010 06:02:54 AM
- 818 Views
Re: Heretics of Dune (2001 initial read; 2010 re-read)
29/04/2010 03:26:28 PM
- 893 Views