SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENGLIAH FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING The basic problem with a word such as democracy is that no commonly available short definition is sufficient to give us an understanding of the full implications of the word. For suck understanding we should have to go into the history lying behind he word and into the complex systems of ideas invol ved in it. For instance, as a basis for understanding the term democracy,we might find oursel ves not only referring to the origin of the word in Ancient Greek, but also using the history of Athens, even including the development of techniques and crafts that preceded the rise of popular government. Or we might find ourselves using the beginnings of christianity with its idea of the worth of the individual human soul, in relation to the democratic impulses in subsequent history. Contrasts and comparisons may be useful. We would have to feel our way along, trying out different ideas to see where they lead us, discarding some and trying again. We can use whatever will help us, including other forms of exposition or other modes of discourse-description, narration, or argumentSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENGLISH FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING The basic problem with a word such as democracy is that no commonly available short definition is sufficient to give us an understanding of the full implications of the word. For suck understanding we should have to go into the history lying behind the word and into the complex systems of ideas involved in it. For instance, as a basis for understanding the term democracy, we might find ourselves not only referring to the origin of the word in Ancient Greek, but also using the history of Athens, even including the development of techniques and crafts that preceded the rise of popular government. Or we might find ourselves using the beginnings of Christianity, with its idea of the worth of the individual human soul, in relation to the democratic impulses in subsequent history. Contrasts and comparisons may be useful. We would have to feel our way along, trying out different ideas to see where they lead us, discarding some and trying again. We can use whatever will help us, including other forms of exposition or other modes of discourse-description, narration, or argument