ESR's Anti-Idiotarian Manifesto

MaggieL · 11-13-2002, 11:02 PM

All it would take is "yes" or "no"...is that so hard? "Appropriate action by credible means", to the extent that it says anything, reads to me as 100% weasel words.

If you can't or won't paraphrase it, or even nail it down as to agreeing with or disagreeing with Tony's proposition, it leaves me skeptical that you actually intend any fixed meaning by it whatsoever.

I'm not "oblivious to your intent", I only asked you to state your meaning plainly and with less ambiguity, rather than leaving enough wiggle room for your friends free to act as they please while you condem their enemies for similar behavior. Because *that's* the intent I'm perceiving right now.

"Semantics" is the study of the meaning of language; if you won't clarify your meaning, you can expect semantics to enter the discussion at some point.

11-13-2002, 11:02 PM	#11
MaggieL in the Hour of Scampering Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Jeffersonville PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia) Posts: 4,060	All it would take is "yes" or "no"...is that so hard? "Appropriate action by credible means", to the extent that it says anything, reads to me as 100% weasel words. If you can't or won't paraphrase it, or even nail it down as to agreeing with or disagreeing with Tony's proposition, it leaves me skeptical that you actually intend any fixed meaning by it whatsoever. I'm not "oblivious to your intent", I only asked you to state your meaning plainly and with less ambiguity, rather than leaving enough wiggle room for your friends free to act as they please while you condem their enemies for similar behavior. Because that's the intent I'm perceiving right now. "Semantics" is the study of the meaning of language; if you won't clarify your meaning, you can expect semantics to enter the discussion at some point. __________________ "Neither can his Mind be thought to be in Tune,whose words do jarre; nor his reason In frame, whose sentence is preposterous..."

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