Experiment

Experiment.

The word seems less like a thing and more like a praxis. It seems like a thing we do that involves a certain way of seeing the world. But of course, the word has another meaning. It's not just a verb, but also a noun.

But even the noun seems to carry a lot of verb-ness with it. An experiment is simply a record of the action described by the verb form. But to me, this doesn't carry all of the insight that the word itself implies.

Armament.

The word is similar to the first. For one thing, it rhymes. But I think the relationship goes deeper than that.

What is an armament? It is not a singular thing. It is defined by Webster as "military weapons and equipment." Plural. The insight about the word and its use of the suffix "-ment" is that it is an accretion of something, specifically arms.

Experiment: the accretion of experience. An experiment is nothing less than an accretion of a bunch of experiences. Yes, there may be a scientific method, but really, the scientific method is just a way of clarifying the act of observation, and therefore, of experience. I think this is what "experiment" really means. It doesn't just mean following the scientific method, but systematically experiencing everything. This is what an experimenter does: systematically experiences everything.

Now, what does this insight have to say about the nature of:

Enlightenment?