Category: Language Matters
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‘Is’ and ‘Ought’ and Gerundives
I just now noticed that the following two sentences are interchangeable salva significatione: Gluttony is to be avoided Gluttony ought to be avoided. A curious linguistic tidbit, possibly of philosophical use later, possibly of no such use at all. But interesting either way. So I note it en passant. Addendum (literally, something to be added…
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Marcia Cavell Defends Colin McGinn Against the “Hysterical” Patricia Churchland
Here, with a response by McGinn. Merits the coveted MavPhil imprimatur and nihil obstat. In fairness to Churchland, it is her letter, not her, that Cavell calls "hysterical." A politically incorrect word these days, I should think. Isn't 'hysterical' etymologically related to the Latin and Greek words for womb? According to the Online Etymology Dictionary:…
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Undocumented Workers and Illegal Aliens
One of the purposes of this site is to combat the stupidity of Political Correctness, a stupidity that in many contemporary liberals, i.e., leftists, is willful and therefore morally censurable. The euphemism 'undocumented worker' is a good example of a PC expression. It does not require great logical acumen to see that 'undocumented worker' and 'illegal…
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Cognitive Dissonance or Doxastic Dissonance?
From what appears to be a reputable source: Cognitive Dissonance Theory, developed by Leon Festinger (1957), is concerned with the relationships among cognitions. A cognition, for the purpose of this theory, may be thought of as a ³piece of knowledge.² The knowledge may be about an attitude, an emotion, a behavior, a value, and so…
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The Word ‘Racism’ and Some of its Definitions
'Racism' and 'racist' are words used by liberals as all-purpose semantic bludgeons. Proof of this is that the terms are never defined, and so can be used in wider or narrower senses depending on the polemical and ideological purposes at hand. In common parlance 'racism' and 'racist' are pejoratives, indeed, terms of abuse. This is why it is…
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Linguistic Change and Linguistic Conservatism
May a linguistic conservative such as your humble correspondent coin new expressions? Of course. A conservative is not one opposed to change as such, or linguistic change as such. A conservative is one who is opposed to unnecessary, or idiotic, or deleterious changes –- the kind our dear liberal friends love to introduce. An example…
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Hylo- or Hylemorphic?
The first footnote to Patrick Toner's "Hylemorphic Animalism" (Phil. Studies, 2011, 155: 65-81) reads: The more common spelling is "hylomorphic," but David Oderberg has convinced me to substitute this spelling. After all, the Greek term in question is hyle, not hylo. By this reasoning we should write 'cruxade,' 'cruxiform,' and 'cruxial' instead of the standard…
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On Making a Splash
Years ago an acquaintance wrote me about a book he had published which, he said, had "made quite a splash." The metaphor is unfortunately double-edged. When an object hits the water it makes a splash. But only moments later the water returns to its quiescent state as if nothing had happened. So it is…
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‘Hylemorphic’ or ‘Hylomorphic’?
Here is a question for those of you who champion the linguistic innovation, 'hylemorphic.' Will you also write 'morphelogical' and 'morphelogy'? If not, why not? 'Morphology' is superior to 'morphelogy' in point of euphony. For the same reason, 'hylomorphic' is superior to 'hylemorphic.' But even if you disagree with my last point, you still have…
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Word of the Day: ‘Yob’
I am now reading Juliet Macur's page-turner of a portrait of Lance Armstrong, entitled Cycle of Lies. I found a review at The Guardian, and this sentence: The picture of Armstrong that emerges from Neal's testimony is not a flattering one: he starts out a yob and his behaviour only degenerates. Here is a definition…
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Of ‘Blind Review’ and Pandora’s Box
This is not an April Fool's joke. Blind review is a standard practice employed by editors of professional journals and organizers of academic conferences. The editor/organizer removes the name of the author from the manuscript before sending it to the referee or referees for evaluation. My present concern is not whether this is a good…
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Government Overreach Stymied
Glenn Reynolds reports on successful pushback against such outrages as the FCC's "plan to 'monitor' news coverage at not only broadcast stations, but also at print publications that the FCC has no authority to regulate." I hereby introduce 'obamination' to refer to those abominations perpetrated against the populace by big government, whether perpetrated by the…
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David Gelernter on the Diversity Obsession
From The War on Truth (emphasis and a bit of ascerbic commentary added): How can we explain intelligent, articulate, intellectually vigorous people stuck in time, repeating themselves endlessly like robots? Even if the diversity crusade hadn’t become an embarrassment and a sham, the sheer mindless obsession of it suggests a seriously neurotic institution. Yale doesn’t…
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Nice but Dumb
I can't believe that this old 16 September 2004 post from my first weblog languished there so long before being brought over, today, to my newer digs. …………… My cat Caissa – named after the goddess of Chess – was feeling under the weather recently, so I took her to the vet for some blood…
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‘Lede’ or ‘Lead’?
Why do some journalists use 'lede' instead of 'lead'? I don't know. A lede is "the introductory section of a news story that is intended to entice the reader to read the full story." (Merriam-Webster) The same source claims that the first known use was in 1976. Why the innovation? Just to be cute or…