[lit-ideas] Re: When Water Wasn't Wet
- From: Phil Enns <phil.enns@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 7 Jul 2009 23:49:28 +0700
'palma' wrote:
"the english word, I would surmise, has nothing to tell us about water
composition"
This is a straw man since what is at issue is not the composition of
water but the meaning of the English words 'water' and 'ice'.
The meaning of the English word 'water' cannot be reduced to the
molecular composition of water. The molecular composition of water
and ice may be identical, but the meaning of the English words 'water'
and 'ice' are not. One does not skate on water, but ice. One may
prefer water rather than ice in one's scotch. A waiter that brings a
glass of solid ice in response to an order for water, has made a
mistake.
Water is not ice.
Sincerely,
Phil Enns
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