Questions tagged [logic]
Questions pertaining to logical constructs
178
questions
0
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1answer
60 views
What is the opposite of the word “Not”?
We are working on a technical manual and we'd like to have a word that is opposite to the word "Not".
Generally, the accepted way to address this is to omit the word itself. In this case however, it ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
Word for logical AND-or-OR-ness property
Suppose I have a set of criteria used in digital searches (such as "year is earlier than 1900", "name begins with S"). The user can choose whether to search for records matching ALL of their criteria, ...
0
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2answers
61 views
The use of the phrase ‘all but’ in this context
“So far, 686 people have been tested in the U.K., with all but three negative”
In this article, the use of the phrase ‘all but three tested negative’ doesn’t make sense to me. In my head it should ...
3
votes
2answers
108 views
Is the sentence logical?
It had been sunny for a week when the storm broke out.
Is this sentence logically valid and sound?
If I think of it, it looks like it means when the storm broke out, it was sunny. There couldn't be ...
1
vote
2answers
61 views
Do all definitions have some sort of circular reasoning? [closed]
Say you wrote a simple sentence like, the fox jumped over the fence. You could replace the subject (fox), with its definition. For example, A carnivore, of the dog family (especially those of the ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
A footnote refers to the wrong document - what is a word to describe this kind of mistake?
Well, the title question says it all I think:
A footnote refers to the wrong document - what is a word to describe this kind of mistake?
Words like "discrepancy", "incongruence", "fallacy", or ...
0
votes
1answer
110 views
Is the usage “all … are not” always the same as “not all … are”?
Is it true that both the following lines are identical in English?
All dogs are animals. All animals are not dogs.
All dogs are animals. Not all animals are dogs.
In some other languages, (1) and (2)...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
without X and without Y
I want to express absence of 2 things. For example:
It was a pretty day without rain and without snow.
Logically: (not X) and (not Y), which is equivalent to: not (X or Y)
Therefore, I guess the ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
What's it called when you use a hypothetical claim to disprove another claim?
So what I'm asking is probably niche, but it's one of those things that I'm not sure what to call it by, so apologies if the title seems off.
I think the best way to describe it is to use an example: ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
What is the word for knowing you are in someone's thoughts?
"Knowing you are in someone's thoughts" - is there a word for it?
The concept comes from Epistemic logic and the psychology of wellbeing depending on knowing someone's else thinking of you.
0
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1answer
86 views
Using argumentum ad verecundiam as a verb
When referring to logical fallacies in code mixed sentences, I typically see them used as nouns:
"Of course I'm cool, my mom says I'm cool!"
"That appears to be an argumentum ad verecundiam."
If ...
2
votes
1answer
71 views
What is the difference between these two sentences? “If A is true, then B is true” and “Since A is true, B is true”
Consider the following two sentences:
If A is true, then we can conclude that B is true.
Since A is true, we can conclude that B is true.
I have two questions:
What is the difference ...
0
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2answers
59 views
What is the average reader most likely to guess that “If they don’t have A or both B and C” was exactly intended to mean?
There is a sentence saying "If they don't have A or both B and C,"
I interpret it means "If they have no A or if they have neither B or C". Am I correct?
The condition seems to me that having only B ...
1
vote
3answers
168 views
Trying to understand the logic behind this sentence: The lecture will be given if at least ten people are there
I am not really sure whether my question is suitable here, but I will give it a try.
Consider the following sentence:
The lecture will be given if at least ten people are there.
From the ...
2
votes
2answers
47 views
Logical implications of 'than they would be if …'? [closed]
Given:
Proof-of-concept technologies, although important, are less valuable
than they would be if they were supported by careful experiments that
identify key attributes of the design or ...
1
vote
0answers
90 views
Is ‘the reason why’ somehow objectionable?
It has just come to my attention that some consider ‘the reason why’
ungrammatical or otherwise unfortunate. David Crystal mentions it in
his introduction to Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English ...
14
votes
6answers
3k views
Term for the “extreme-extension” version of a straw man fallacy?
Take the most obvious, unimpeachable statement imaginable:
Drinking water is good for humans.
I am looking for a word that describes the action of taking the argument, applying some unreasonable ...
1
vote
1answer
100 views
Is there a contraction for non-exclusive or?
I find that often, in technical writing, I want to specify that or is non-exclusive: or ≠ xor; or = and/or.
(Stylistically, "and or" is terrible and gets tiresome quickly;)
As an example of the type ...
0
votes
1answer
382 views
“following conditions exists” or “all of the following conditions exist”
In a technical description I've written "When the following conditions exist" and listed Condition 1 to N. When I said "When the following conditions exist", I meant "all the following" conditions ...
-3
votes
2answers
214 views
How would one interpret: “must not exceed X and Y” vs “must not exceed X and not exceed Y” [closed]
EDIT/NOTE: This phrase is from a legal document, so rules of plain language / literal interpretation are assumed to apply, so please refrain from assuming what you believe was intended by the writer. ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Which should be the correct word in the given pragraph: Hermeneutics or Semantics?
While reading through the book on logics. I came across this paragraph.
Paragraph is as-is from the book: Outline of Logic (Schaum's)
At this point we give a rigorous formulation of the ...
1
vote
1answer
421 views
Difference between declarative sentence and proposition statement?
Oxford dictionary defines declarative sentence as :
"A statement in the form of a declaration."
and Proposition as:
"A statement or assertion that expresses a judgement or opinion".
What is the ...
1
vote
1answer
103 views
Term for an argument that is only valid because of another view that the person you're arguing against holds, that you disagree with
Couldn't think of a better title.
But this is is the gist: an argument that is only valid because of another view that the person you're arguing against holds, that you disagree with.
You said cats ...
9
votes
10answers
5k views
Single word to replace “allowed to be missing”
I want to express my knowledge about the presence of absence of something. My knowledge is divided into three different cases:
I know that the thing doesn't exist.
I don't know whether the thing ...
11
votes
10answers
2k views
Understanding the purported ambiguity in “Every boy didn’t run”
I am a computer science professional.
I am reading the book Natural Language Understanding by James Allen where he writes:
“Every boy didn’t run” which is ambiguous between the read...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the logic behind “better suited” [closed]
I'm confused about the expression "better suited." I'm editing a piece that addresses how to write a particular type of article for a particular website. Logically, which is better:
Structurally, ...
1
vote
6answers
312 views
Logical term for when an object is the same thing as itself
I'm trying to see if there's a word for this in English and having some problems making a definition in my program.
I want to say that two objects are not only have identical properties/values but ...
0
votes
2answers
150 views
Which is right: “The cream cheese comes with the bagel” or “The bagel comes with the cream cheese”?
My friends and I got into an argument about which sentence is right:
"The cream cheese comes with the bagel" or "The bagel comes with the cream cheese".
What is the exact meaning of each of these ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
'all the following are' OR 'the following are all' [duplicate]
Which of these is grammatically correct?
"The statement is incorrect when the following are all true:"
"The statement is incorrect when all the following are true:"
1
vote
3answers
69 views
Is there a word (or shorter/clearer phrase) for “incorrect implication/suggestion”? [closed]
Example sentences:
I don't drink bleach very often.
Why does one plus one equal three?
The first sentence seems to suggest that I do drink bleach occasionally, even though from a strictly logically ...
1
vote
1answer
270 views
Word that serves the purpose of “xor?” [closed]
In programming we have the term "xor gate" for when one of two things is allowed, but not both. That is, P XOR Q is true if and only if exactly one of them is true, false otherwise.
But English is ...
1
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3answers
455 views
Is 'nothing is impossible' and 'anything is possible' the same?
I wonder if these two sentences mean exactly the same, or is there any difference?
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Is the following sentence logically flawed?
Is the following sentence logically flawed?
If you are redistributing something that includes actual 3D product files, the TurboSquid files must be part of a larger creation and not in an open ...
2
votes
2answers
107 views
Code to or for the lab?
I've been finding myself quite confused about a particular situation. So I know that people say a key to (physical place), such as ''do you have the key to the shed'' etc. However, I'm not sure what ...
2
votes
2answers
159 views
What's this form of rhetoric called?
Let's suppose my father was a good moral teacher to me. I say:
"I learned my virtuous morals from my father."
This is a true statement, because he did teach me good morals. However the subsequent ...
0
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0answers
49 views
What gets modified? Confusions with “only” (basic categorical logic)
While learning basic categorical logic, I came across the following sentences:
"All kitchens are places for eating"
"All kitchens are only places for eating"
"All kitchens are places only for eating" ...
-1
votes
1answer
774 views
What is the difference between : “ I turned around and saw X” and “ I was turning around and saw X” ( Simple past vs past continous)
I would assume the difference is minor, in the former I finished the action of turning around and then saw X. In the latter I saw X while turning around. However one would certainly stop turning, when ...
0
votes
1answer
251 views
Which has higher priority, grammar or logic? [closed]
"Sunset on Mars is blue."
Is this statement grammatically correct. Of course there is also the concern if accuracy/logic overrides grammar.
10
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3answers
3k views
Neither L nor S lives in either A or B, What is your inference regarding this sentence?
Can "Neither Nor" and "Either Or" appear in the same sentence? If yes, what is your inference regarding the sentence below?
"Neither L nor S lives in either A or B"
The answer my friend thinks is "...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
What's the word for using a general argument that upon inspection does not apply?
Examples, some are ridiculous:
Someone refuses to buy a lab grown diamond because 'all diamonds are blood diamonds'.
We cannot buy a sports car because 'the trunks of sports cars are too small', even ...
1
vote
0answers
291 views
Tenses logic understanding
Let's look at Present Simple. As far as I understand there is [almost] no difference between
I play this game.
I do play this game.
The first question: can I form negative sentences this way?...
0
votes
3answers
199 views
What is this statement being used as?
In composing a written response to a comparison that has been made, I've become a bit stumped. In the statement, the latter claims superiority over the former, based upon the self-identified qualities ...
6
votes
4answers
630 views
Is there a word in English which expresses the idea of 'logicate' (which is not an English word)?
I am trying to translate the Greek word λογιξομαι, logitsomai,which is usually translated 'account' or 'reckon' which I do not think quite catch the meaning.
In English, we have words for numerical ...
1
vote
1answer
99 views
how to say action x causes y and nothing but y
Background
I once witnessed this conversation between two software engineers.. something like:
eng1: I just gave you the api
eng2: are the results deterministic when I enter key i?
I'm not sure if ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
What are some examples of paradoxical words?
The word "non-hyphenated" is a paradoxical word in that it is a word about words, but it does not describe itself.
I have two questions:
Is there a name for these types of paradoxical words?
What ...
1
vote
2answers
609 views
Between each/every (logic analysis)
1) How to add space between every word when typing into Word?
2) There is a marked line between each person in this row.
I believe usages of 'between each/every' in the contexts above are ...
0
votes
2answers
78 views
Please untangle the logic of this for me
Could someone please rephrase this for me, because every time I read it I get tangled up:
According to the Second Circuit, there is no principle of administrative law which, absent a disagreement ...
6
votes
2answers
291 views
Translation of “He has 8 more quarters than dimes.” into symbols?
The sentence "He has 8 more quarters than dimes." is often mistranslated by students into the equation 8 + q = d. This is an extremely common error in the usage of English to express daily counting ...
4
votes
2answers
98 views
Is there a name for the set of possible ***direct*** answers to a question?
For example, the set for the question "did you go to the store?" would be {'yes','no'} but not include '7', and for "how old are you?" would be the set of positive integers but not include 'by car', ...
3
votes
3answers
539 views
Negative of When
I'm designing some programming code, and the language is an important piece of making it easy for readers of the design to understand the context and intent of the code.
In particular, I'm looking ...
