A perplexing question

Re: A perplexing question


very cute, Welcome!

Good one Jonny.

To make oil boil, add a b.

The answer to the question is yes... oh, wait... crud.

maybe

I choose d. not enough information to answer.

Maybe is a great answer.

Re: A perplexing question


correct

Actually, the answer "incorrect" or "probably not" or "definitely not" or "of course not" or any other semantic approach you can think of.

I think "huh-uh" works best.

Re: A perplexing question
jonny:

<<<Is the answer to this question 'no'?>>>>

No more or less than if you had asked if the answer to the question was yes. But that particular linguistic conundrum is not really very interesting at all because it simply revolves around the inherent limitation of human language. Words, after all, are not something magical or mystical, right?

No, a far more intriguing antinomy would be one that speculates on whether existence as such is infinite or created. Now THAT is truly a profound mystery, right? It goes way, way, way beyond the utilization of mere language.

RP

The origin of a word/idea/thought/concept is mystical and/or mysterious and can lead to questions of existence and infinity. After all what is an idea?

Language is only limited by the way in which it is used. You can use it like this, to tie knots in itself, or you can use it in a meaningful way. It's not a logical langauge (as in, a language used for speaking in logic e.g. P -> Q etc) and even logical langauges can be misused.

Twyvel - mysticism has always surrounded language. Speaking in tongues and whatnot. "And God said "let there be light" and there was." "And the postmodernists said "let there be reality" and there was."

Nice example of Russell's paradox jonny !

NB apochryphal Cambridge philosophy question read:
" If this is the question then what is the answer ?".

rufio

In order to say, "Let there be reality"….or…"Let there be light"…..there already has to be reality/light.


Unless utterance and existence are not two, i.e. invoking is creation.

Yes, somewhere. But I can use language to describe things that don't exist, like purple elephants, or things that exist only in imagination, like aliens. And the doctrine was always that if I say something looks like a purple elephant to me, than it is, right?

Saying something can make it so. Happens all the time. For instance, "I do" and "I promise" bind one to another person, at least until certain deeds are performed. Creating the universe by saying so would be a hell of a speech act, though.



As to the original question -- I think Mr. Grace has it right.

Saying things can makes it so only if you say something like "I said this."

"I apologize."