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Re: [lojban] Re: tersmu 0.2



Okay, I'm starting to see a point (maybe not the point) to this.  Since Lojban uses static grammars it cannot draw transformational generalizations from cases, but rather has to make each case separately and claim and argue for equivalence some other way.  Given the a reasonable case that {xxx poi [ke'a] broda ko'a} is equivalent to {lo broda be ko'a} it needs a device to make a similar claim for {xxx poi ko'a broda ke'a}, when {lo poi'i ko'a broda ke'a}, with a new, transparent, type of bridi based predicate. The direct analogy, {lo be ko'a broda ke'a}, which equally clear, is excluded by the static grammar, although it has the appropriate logical form.  Obviously, given my druthers, I would allow this form as logically (and grammatically, too) simpler, but I am not at all sure of the ramifications for the static grammar. (It is interesting to see some further uses for those obnoxious {be}s though.)
But there is a danger in thinking that the English form is going to guide us aright.  "What I want for Christmas" as "What I have in my hand" or even "What I know" and so {xxx poi mi djica tu'a ke'a} and so {lo poi'i mi djica tu'a ke'a} or {lo be mi djica tu'a ke'a}, however normally formed they might turn out to be, are probably not the right logical form (though I haven't a very good idea what is),  it's the old problem of nonexistents again (there aren't any pink unicorns).  But those are going to be problems all the way up to the logic level.

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 11, 2014, at 10:22, "'John E. Clifford' via lojban" <lojban@googlegroups.com> wrote:

We are back to the why of all this. Why keep proposing replacements for perfectly good forms if you acknowledge they are perfectly good? If you are just seeking some way of dealing with cases  that are more difficult, why not start by building on the easy cases, rather than on some more complex forms that may do the same work?  Your difficult example involves so many logically (and Lojbanically) questionable moves that it can scarcely be used as an argument for a differ approach without a number of intervening steps justifying each move past an obstacle. To good from a hypothetical version of a clear case to acclaim to have dealt with a difficult and questionable one is not very convincing.

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 11, 2014, at 9:20, Jorge Llambías <jjllambias@gmail.com> wrote:



On Sat, Oct 11, 2014 at 9:39 AM, 'John E. Clifford' via lojban <lojban@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I got to wondering about "What I think John knows is possible", ignoring the extra problems of cognitive predicates and using / for the descriptor, since typefaces keep confusing LC ell with one and uc i. P /x(Bi/y(^Kjx^y)), which Is not going to convert easily, as you say.

Actually, the English is ambiguous, but my example was just a referring term, not a complete formula:  /x(Bi/y(^Kj/z(^Px^z)^y)  if I understand the notation correctly. I suppose you just read the English and not the Lojban forms, which didn't share that ambiguity:

  lo poi'i mi jinvi lo du'u la djan cu djuno lo du'u ke'a cumki
  xxx poi mi jinvi lo du'u la djan cu djuno lo du'u ke'a cumki
  zo'e noi mi jinvi lo du'u la djan cu djuno lo du'u ke'a cumki

 
 But that is no reason to disparage cases that do convert easily.  

 We're not disparaging the more ergonomic forms, they are used all the time. 

Indeed, it makes me inclined to doubt the legitimacy of the form itself (quantifying in and all that).

What would it mean that it was illegitimate? It wouldn't mean anything, or it would mean something else?

mu'o mi'e xorxes

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