I sort of semi-know for a fact …The audio is here, at about 6:30.
The mega-hedge of all hedges?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Calling formal semanticists! I sort of semi-know for a fact …
Donald Trump opened one of his rants about Obama and birtherism this way:
What? What the hell does that mean? I mean really, what. does. that. mean.? I can't do it in a truth table.
The mega-hedge of all hedges?
The mega-hedge of all hedges?
I think I can translate: "I know this isn't actually a fact, but I really, really want it to be and will operate under the assumption that it is."
ReplyDeleteGood call!
ReplyDeleteIn 101 we teach about entailment. If you know something, it's a fact. If you (sort of) semi-know something, it is not a fact.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was precisely my starting point here. 'know for a far' and 'sort of semi' is doubling down in both directions.
ReplyDeleteThat somebody so stupid is able to get so much attention is just one more sign of the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteOops, key typo, meant to type: Yeah, that was precisely my starting point here. 'know for a fact' and 'sort of semi-' is doubling down in both directions at once.
ReplyDelete