Questions tagged [logic]
Questions pertaining to logical constructs
-1
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0answers
29 views
Parsing a negation
In an important technical standard our team has trouble understanding a particular sentence. I think it's simply an example for the ambiguity of natural languages, here English, but I'd like to get ...
0
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0answers
29 views
Does “a thing” in sentences generalizes for all things?
Consider this sentence:
"A government can bring about a degree of corruption abroad that the government itself does not suffer from at home."
Now we know that this sentence is true for at least 1 ...
1
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0answers
54 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
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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
33 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
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1answer
53 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
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2answers
126 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
75 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
66 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 ...
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
609 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
227 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
116 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
716 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
65 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
176 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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1answer
266 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
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1answer
33 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
88 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 ...
0
votes
0answers
522 views
If it were what I thought it was/were
my question basically deals with the subjunctive mood, and if I should indeed use it in this specific situation:
"It would have been interesting if it indeed were what I thought it
were/was".
...
2
votes
2answers
133 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
46 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
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1answer
525 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
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1answer
200 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 "...
2
votes
1answer
59 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
224 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?...
6
votes
4answers
491 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
88 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
382 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
72 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
277 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
90 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
513 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
“Periodically” – How to Use This?
So, I happen to be in the process of creating this research paper about a historic figure; I had used Google to search for a synonym of occasionally, and one of the words I stumbled across was “...
3
votes
1answer
741 views
I bought something two days ago - quick question about logic
I have a question to do with language and logic that my mind is having trouble with. Please, try to explain it to me. It is both an English problem and also a problem to do with my native language.
...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
Word for theories that cannot be disproven ?
Is there any word for something which cannot be disproven. E.g. I want to say: "Vedas were written around 10000 BC". This has some proof but not certain, but it cannot be disproven. What should be the ...
0
votes
1answer
59 views
Is there a good way to group logical statements in plain writing?
I wanted to write something in plain English that reflects a logical statement with slightly complex conditions. I went with something like "A person requires extra security if they're trying to ...
-1
votes
1answer
363 views
Propositional Logic Question [closed]
I am studying Logic now and I have some terminology I want to ask about:
Proposition
Compound proposition
Statement
Assertion
Argument
I know that a proposition is a simple declarative sentence ...
4
votes
4answers
387 views
Term for discrediting an entire argument based on discrediting a single point of it
I'm trying to think of the name of this fallacy, and it's driving me crazy. The typical situation is this: I make a claim, and list several examples supporting this claim. Someone then discredits one ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Opposite (sort of) of mutually exclusive?
Paint cannot be red and blue as these are mutually exclusive.
It cannot be night and day as these are mutually exclusive.
However unlike paint, which can be neither red nor green (for example: blue),...
0
votes
2answers
387 views
Verb for logical sum [duplicate]
If I perform the logical OR on two items, what am I doing? Ie. what's the verb for the logical sum?
2
votes
1answer
78 views
Do comparisons make up a special case for understanding either/or as a logical operator?
This question was prompted by a friend who is a fluent speaker of English but not a native one.
Consider the following cases:
I either eat the apple or the orange. I eat: apple XOR orange.
I eat ...
1
vote
2answers
100 views
Using improbable premise(s) to reach a conclusion
Is there a name for a fallacy that involves using an improbable premise or premises to reach a desired conclusion? For example saying (exaggerated to better convey what is meant): "You should always ...
2
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1answer
241 views
Why would “to center around” be illogical? [duplicate]
I have seen the discussions of "to center on" vs "to center around", and usually the argument is that "to center X around Y" is illogical. The counter-argument is generally that it is an idiom and ...
4
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2answers
79 views
What's the name for when a layman thinks a technical task is easier than it actually is?
As a software engineer, my job is highly technical. A co-worker and I were remarking that frequently our non-technical co-workers will assume that we're not working if a task takes longer than they ...
1
vote
2answers
872 views
Is there a phrase for “assuming facts to be correct in a statement”?
There is a kind of error or fallacy I often see, which is close to "Begging the Question", but I understand that the true meaning of "Begging the Question" is closer to "circular reasoning".
The ...
-1
votes
1answer
54 views
What are the different senses of “a”? [closed]
Suppose we know that "terrorism is a serious crime".
And that "you have to report terrorism".
Can we say that
"you have to report a serious crime"?
I think that the bulleted statement is true. ...
