Re: Anselmisms and gadro

[mark@kli.org]

>Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 03:10:33 -0400 (EDT)
>From: xod <xod@bway.net>
>
>From: xod <xod@bway.net>
>
>On Thu, 26 Aug 1999, John Cowan wrote:
>
>> From: John Cowan <cowan@locke.ccil.org>
>> 
>> mark@kli.org scripsit:
>> 
>> > if there actually are no real-life fairies, I'd think my statement would be
>> > considered true.  Statements about members of the nullset are true, right?
>> 
>> No.  A statement about *every* member of the null set may count as true,
>> but statements about specific members are clearly false.
>> "All purple rhinos are green" counts as true iff we read it as
>> "For all x, x is a purple rhino -> x is green."
>
>If "All purple rhinos are green" is true, then "One fifth of all purple
>rhinos are green" must also be true.

But "one fifth of all purple rhinos" is qualitatively different from "some
purple rhino."  The first is still referring to the set or portions of it.
The second is presuming the existence of particular members.  Is that how
you'd see it, John?

~mark