In general, people do not speak with precision unless forced to do so. And there seems an especially strong tendency in the public discourse in the United States to resist consistent, rigorous use of terms. While such resistance may be normal and predictable, it has the unfortunate consequence of preventing nearly any meaningful or deep public dialogue on matters of grave social importance. To mention just one example: to what non-cultural things is the term "cultural diversity" often refer?

It will be necessary in this course to exert more mental effort than usual in using  terms and the ideas for which they stand with precision. This section of the chapter will, among other things, explain the distinctions (and the overlaps) between many of these terms. Be sure to maintain these distinctions throughout the course.

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