"fact" = notion or idea that has not been established as a fact or is not a fact

[Michael McKernan]

Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>Though I understand idea that Durkheim was addressing, the term "social
>fact" remains ill-chosen, especially in contexts such as this.  "War
>explodes" is hardly a "social fact."
...

>  I don't know of any sociocultural group, as defined by additional shared
>markers, that believes as fact that "Wars explode."

I agree.  What is the significance of 'wars explode,' anyway?  Seems like
it must mean something special to Nordstrom, which she does not explain in
this poorly-worded sentence.

My post was responding to the (posted) notion that 'social fact' = 'social
fiction.'




Michael McKernan

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org