Harmony
as 'obliged to fit together'
Morphological Analysis
- Etymon: Ancient Greek harmoníā): 'fitting together'
- Morpheme breakdown: Clipping of harmózō: 'fit together' + suffix -mōnī: 'obliged to'. → 'obliged to fit together'
Essential Definition
Harmony is the ontological principle and active imperative that all elements within a relational system are obliged to fit together. It is not a passive state of agreement but the constitutive process that demands adaptation, coherence, and interdependent integrity as a non-negotiable condition for existence.
Semantic Context
- Conventional sense: Agreement or accord. (Note: Semantic drift from essential meaning)
- Essential meaning (my usage): obliged to fit together
Philosophical Significance
This definition elevates harmony from a descriptive outcome to a prescriptive, ontological principle. It establishes harmony as the fundamental imperative that actively governs and constitutes all relational existence, where fitting together is a non-negotiable condition for being. This shifts the concept from an aesthetic ideal to the primary process underlying adaptation, coherence, and systemic integrity.
Usage in This Lexicon
When I use the word harmony in my work, I mean exactly 'obliged to fit together'. This enables:
- Provides a clear and foundational etymology: Explains the word's original conceptual components.
- Emphasizes an inherent responsibility or necessity: Moves beyond mere passive compatibility.
- Shifts the perception from a static state of agreement: Positions harmony as an active process or requirement in conference: 'bearing together'.
- Introduces a dimension of duty or constraint: Suggests the fitting together is not optional but essential.
- Creates a framework for understanding harmony: Establishes it as a principle that demands participation and adjustment.
- Offers a precise lens for analyzing systems: Allows examination of structures where elements are interdependent by necessity.
- Distinguishes the definition from more common interpretations: Moves beyond interpretations focused solely on pleasant combination.
Related Terms
Sources
*This definition follows morphological essentialism principles. See the Methodology for details.