Re: RE: Re: Re: "If a tree falls..."

[Duane Campbell]

----- Original Message ----- >
>        The post from Duane Campbell surprised me, since it seemed clear to
> me that Fred was inquiring as to the origin of the quotation, and not its
> meaning.



I realize that Fred was asking about the origin, and I was not questioning
that. I was taking issue with his assertion that it was a "philosophical
conundrum." I had always thought that it was a typical example of how people
can make a substantive argument over what is in fact a lack of understanding
of how language operates. His response -- and I am grateful that he deigned
to post it -- gave me new information about the Berkley background on the
matter. As he explained it, it was indeed a philosophical conundrum. I am
enlightened, and I thank you for that.

My point, nonetheless, remains. Many such "conundrums" are simply language
problems. And as it happens, the post came through shortly after my wife had
come to me with a question about SUVs. She had been involved in a battle at
lunch about just which models were SUVs and which were not. She asked me
exactly what an SUV was. I told her that it was what the manufacturer said
it was at the moment, that the issue was in flux, that words had meaning
only as others understood the same meaning and it had not settled out yet.
I'm not sure exactly at what point she dozed off, but when I looked up it
was clear I had not given her the answer she wanted.

Misspellings aside, my response was intended as tongue in cheek. If you took
offense, I sincerely apologize. It was not intended.

D