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Taka Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Encourage

We actually suppress the type of brain activity that we should be encouraging.

#1: What does the "encourage" mean here?
#2: Why is it the progressive? What is the semantic difference between that and "we should encourage"?
  

Top answer

The word 'suppress' suggests our own brain activity, since it is hard to suppress that of someone else. but the word 'encourage' suggests the brain activity of someone else. Without further context, I'll assume we are talking about our own brain activity.

— Clive

  • The word 'suppress' suggests our own brain activity, since it is hard to suppress that of someone else.
  • but the word 'encourage' suggests the brain activity of someone else.
  • Without further context, I'll assume we are talking about our own brain activity.
  • #1 It is an odd word to choose.
  • I assume it means that we should try to think in certain ways.
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9 Answers
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The word 'suppress' suggests our own brain activity, since it is hard to suppress that of someone else.
but the word 'encourage' suggests the brain activity of someone else.
Without further context, I'll assume we are talking about our own brain activity.

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CliveThe word 'suppress' suggests our own brain activity, since it is hard to suppress that of someone else.but the word 'encourage' suggests the brain activity of someone else.Without further context, I'll assume we are talking about our own brain activity.#1
You can see the original here; it's under the title "Further on."

www.eugenewei.com/imported
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Your link doesn't work.

This is a straightforward sentence that should not cause confusion. The words "suppress" and "encourage" are opposites, and in the sentence you have them contrasted: "We suppress what we should (instead) encourage."

If "we should encourage" is substituted, the sentence means approximately the same thing. But there is the slightest nuance in meaning her
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The idea seems to be that we try too hard, and instead should be letting our brains work in a more random and sub-conscious manner. I like Feynman's idea of relaxing his mind in a topless bar!

Clive
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CliveThe idea seems to be that we try too hard, and instead should be letting our brains work in a more random and sub-conscious manner.
Yes, I understand the idea as a whole. But when it comes to translation, it's a little problem. I have to translate the word "suggest."

What do you think the word itself really means here? Or let me ask the question t
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I have to translate the word "suggest."
'Suggest' is not in the original sentence. Did you mean to type 'suppress'?
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Oops! I don't know why I wrote that word. I meant "encourage", the word in question.
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Perhaps We actually suppress the type of brain activity that we should be nurturing.
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