OOC: Quantifiers, Revenge, and the Triumph of Western Civilization

[sythyry]

[Poll #1807366]

Comments

[aryllian]

What about the situations of "All humans have hair at all times during their lives", "All humans have hair at some time during their lives", etc.?


Also, I'd say context is just as important as the actual statement in interpreting it.

I.e. [alien biologist, upon coming upon an unidentified hairless specimen, to colleague insisting it's human] "Humans have hair."

not really the same as: [alien biologist, upon coming upon an unidentified hairy specimen, to colleague insisting it's not human] "Humans have hair."

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

I am disappointed that I am the only one who thinks the Pinnoccio Punishment is a fitting revenge at this given time.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

You cannot remove a thinking brain from someone who doesn't have a thinking brain.

[terrana.livejournal.com]

In terms of first-order logic, "Humans have hair" is suggestive of ∀x(human(x) → has_hair(x)). Distressingly, "natural" language is not based on first-order logic, so it comes out meaning something more like "a proportion of humans sufficient to establish a general principle (this proportion being entirely subjective) have hair".

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

An excellent point!

[deor.livejournal.com]

All humans have hair.
Not all humans have hair on their heads.

[calamitous-cani.livejournal.com]

(Alas, nobody wants to adopt Loglan conventions!)