Re: Anselmisms and gadro

[xod <xod@bway.net>]

On 26 Aug 1999 mark@kli.org wrote:

> From: 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?





Whatever applies to a set must also apply to the subsets. 



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