Metaphysics and Bad Writing

Metaphysics is the syntax of reality. Its propensity to investigate things at the most basic level helps one set unorganized information into order. With the tools necessary to arrange different pieces of data into a coherent picture, metaphysics has practical consequences for producing a unified personality and understanding of the world.

It is a shame, then, that its literature should be encumbered by words like "mereological" and "nomological." While many of an analytic spirit may delight in such technicalities, it is worth remembering that technical language serves a pragmatic purpose, which is to compact large amounts of information. Technical words ought to be the matryoshka dolls of writing, nesting layers of meaning into a single world. But rarely do these words appear as beautiful works of culture. They are ugly and pretentious. Such words look bad in print. They are to manners as a spoonful of cinnamon is to good taste—a pinch will suffice!

There is a world of a difference between efficiency and intellectual self-congratulation, and unfortunately, the use of many technical terms falls into the latter category.