... The use of hyphens links linguistically the actual
empirical complex inter-relatedness in this world. There are most important
structural implications involving the hyphen which represent recent advances in
sciences and other branches of knowledge.
For example, the hyphen (a) in space-time revolutionized physics,
transformed our whole world-outlook, and became the foundation of non-Newtonian
systems; (b) in psycho-biological marks sharply the difference between
animals and much more complex humans (in my interpretation of it). This
differentiation is also on the basis of the present non-Aristotelian system,
where "man" as a "time-binder" is not merely biological, but psycho-biological.
The hyphen (c) in psycho-somatic is slowly transforming medical
understanding, practice, etc.; (d) in socio-cultural indicates the need for
a new applied anthropology, human ecology, etc.; (e) in neuro-linguistic
and neuro-semantic links our verbal, evaluational reactions with our
neuro-physiological processes; (f) in organism-as-a-whole-in-an-environment,
indicates that not even an "organism-as-a-whole" can exist without an environment,
and is a fiction when considered in "absolute isolation."
Alfred Korzybski,