Introducing Otto_West

I mean, I pretty much know everything man. How come you won’t get all philosophical with me and talk about necessity and possibility. I was drunkenly explaining the difference between valid and sound to a girl at lunch today, and I went on a long tangent about necessity and possibility. She ended up vaguely understanding it, or at least convincing me that she did. It was fun. Why you go straight to the ad hom? That’s a fallacy. Some people have various justifications that they’ll use to attempt to dignify such behavior, but those are bullshit. I thought you were here to enlighten. Don’t be the ad hom guy. Be the enlightener. You’re letting me down, and worse, you’re letting yourself down.

Like when one term entails the definition of the other term, and the other term’s definition can be ascertained without reference to context, then you’ve got yourself a matter of necessity. Like water is h20. Its just necessarily true. True in all possible worlds, etc. But if to derive the meaning of a term, or the truth value of a proposition, you need to refer to context, or go through a process of narrowing definitions, then you’re moving into the realm of mere possibility with regard to the truth value of said proposition. Maybe its true in some possible worlds, but not in all of them. Like I’m hungry. That’s false in this world, the actual one. Because I just ate. But it could be true, assuming I take lots of shits before I eat again. So its merely possible that the proposition, “I’m hungry” is true.

You’re asking me to explain basic philosophy that everybody should already know having any interests philosophically. Might I suggest you read the book Philosophy For Dummies instead? I think it will broaden your horizon.

Now you do one. Or tell me how I’m wrong.

Philosophy for dummies doesn’t have a modal logic section.

I get the sense that this distinction is commonly brushed over, ignores, or underestimated in its impact on just about any given discourse. Maybe you disagree. But I feel pretty certain that a lot of people could benefit from a deeper conversation about it.

I thought you owned your own private security company? How are you finding us Londoners compared to back home? wherever ‘back home’ is for you…

My you’re a slippery one, aren’t ya. :angry-nono:

I think he’s related to Kanye West.

What about something as basic as causality. Off the top of your head, what do you think makes something the precise cause of something else?

Yeah I would love to be enlightened about that.

Yes, you’ve got me. I’m actually a black man posing as a white one online.

I have been exposed.

K: ummm, my fish is called Wanda… any relationship?

Kropotkin

No, that must be some sort of coincidence.

So, you are a firm believer that what you do for a living is what “sums you up”? :-k

What do you do with those ears afterwards? Do you keep them or do they take them back?

My ears are big [huge] so when I am not driving taxis I fly around the city with them like Dumbo the elephant.

Do you sometimes take on passengers?

No, I can’t have any English fair maidens riding on top of my head at high speeds. It might give off the wrong impression about me if I did.

Why did you create a new account?

I see gossip gets around quickly these days.

No gossip just a keen eye.