A person’s name, of course, is not the only kind of name in our language. Our linguistic system is composed of names. Nouns are names by definition; verbs are names of actions; and adjectives or adverbs are names of a shape or situation. Our awareness was trained and matured in this realm of names. Therefore, when we see an object, we automatically recall the name of the object, first and foremost.

Let’s do a little experiment: what is in front of you? Whatever it is, can you see that object without recalling its name? It won’t be easy. Whatever we see, we always call forth its name first. In the human consciousness, anything that has a form has a name. Perhaps we cannot see something unless it has a name. When you think you are seeing an object, therefore, what you are doing is reading its name. We see and understand objects through this window of the name. In other words, we live trapped inside a cage of information called the name, but we are so accustomed to it we don’t see the bars.

This is similar to the way our brains function. In neurological terms, knowledge is a particular pattern of connections between neurons in the brain, and learning is a change or addition to that pattern of connections. For example, new knowledge will create a new neuronal connection.