One thing I found helpful was realizing I can’t expect mathematically precise definitions about the territory; you can only get those for definitions of things that exist within the map. Otherwise there is always a gap where uncertainty and fuzziness seep in, but that’s okay. If you expect that what you’re doing is less like defining mathematical terms or programming and more like painting a picture so that it evokes the expected thoughts (e.g. “oh, I guess that must be a flower”), you’ll suffer a lot less strife and be more effective at using and explaining words in ways that are useful.
One thing I found helpful was realizing I can’t expect mathematically precise definitions about the territory; you can only get those for definitions of things that exist within the map. Otherwise there is always a gap where uncertainty and fuzziness seep in, but that’s okay. If you expect that what you’re doing is less like defining mathematical terms or programming and more like painting a picture so that it evokes the expected thoughts (e.g. “oh, I guess that must be a flower”), you’ll suffer a lot less strife and be more effective at using and explaining words in ways that are useful.