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A.Word.A.Day--prospicient

prospicient (pros-PISH-uhnt)

adjective: Having foresight.

[From Latin prospiciens, from prospicere (to look forward), from pro- (forward) + spicere, from specere (to look). Ultimately from Indo-European root spek- (to observe) which is also the ancestor of such words as suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer), espionage, despise, telescope, and spectacles.]

"The answer is that an expectant or prospicient idea moves and guides the ensuing action, being a part-cause of that action."
John Laird; Teleology; 1939.

After I finish reading a bedtime story to my daughter, I sometimes ask her, "So, what do you think of the book?" More often than not, the answer is a simple, "Good."

I tell her that the word "good" is banned. The book could be funny, boring, interesting, scary, lovely, awful, awesome, delightful, ... or a combination of terms. Anything but good. It's time to give the tired "good", and "bad", a well-deserved rest.

I think the same applies for people. People are rarely just good or bad. This week's words show five words to describe them.

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