Subject: [lojban] Re: brivla for 'intend'

From: John Cowan <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 06:50:21 -0400 (EDT)

robin scripsit:

> I would argue that with the possible 
> exception of unconscious reflexes, it is impossible to do something 
> without wanting to do it, but that's a controversial position. 

The trouble with this formulation is that it depends on what is and
what is not an "action". For example, I cannot speak (neglecting
grunts) without wanting to speak, fair enough. But suppose the
room in which I am speaking is, all unknown to me, bugged by X.
Then do you think it would be appropriate to say that I wanted to
be heard by X? This seems bizarre and counterintuitive, yet given
the situation, being heard by X is an inevitable consequence of speaking.

Similarly, if I were shooting at a target behind which was standing
somebody (but I did not know that), and my bullet went through the target
and hit her, would you say that I wanted to hit her?

-- 
John Cowan <[email-masked]>
http://www.ccil.org/~cowan http://www.reutershealth.com
Unified Gaelic in Cyrillic script!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Celticonlang