Definitionv1DF-163
Context determines meaning
the relationship between information and context is the source of meaning, not the information itself
Why This Is a Definition
This definition explicitly establishes the precise semantic boundary of 'context determines meaning' by stating that meaning is constructed at the intersection of information and context, with context being the determining factor rather than inherent in the information. It directly answers what 'context determines meaning' means in this curriculum.
Source Lessons
Context determines meaning
Information has no inherent meaning. Meaning is constructed at the intersection of information and context. Change the context, and the same data, sentence, or signal means something entirely different.
Temporal context shifts meaning
What was true in one time period may not be true in another — always note the when.