[lit-ideas] Vacuous Names
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2012 09:40:56 -0400 (EDT)
A. Palma wrote of a paper by Grice entitled,
"Speranza does not exist"
McEvoy genially added,
"If Speranza [provided it's true what Grice says, that he [Speranza] does
not exist] has not read the paper, "Speranza does not exist", perhaps the
paper is false? Note that it's grammatically incorrect, too: the manuscript
reads, "Speranza does not exists" -- as if it were originally in Chinese.
Yet Grice was apparently fluent (in English).
Instead of sticking with the paradox of the different scenarios, Palma
prefers to stick with 'fluent'. ("In what way can we say Grice was fluent?").
Indeed, the point by McEvoy is not conclusive.
Provided the title of the essay is
"Speranza does not exist" (with an appendix by Speranza: "Existence is no
predicate")
is true,
then indeed it would be otiose to stipulate, as paradigm for genuineness of
the essay, that Speranza has not read it. For
Q. E. D.,
Speranza (if he does not exist) cannot read the essay, "Speranza does not
exist".
This, however, in no way proves that the paper is a fake.
Q. E. D. the negation of McEvoy's claim above.
---- (never mind Grice's fluidity).
---
"sarebbe assai interessante comprendere come uno possa dir di esser
fluente, dipende dai fluidi ingeriti?"
Cheers,
Speranza
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