the temporal subordinator "since"

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Oct 26, 2006, at 1:44 PM, Jon Lighter wrote:

> To pick up a thread from another thread :  Does the widespread use
> of logical "since" show that anglophone culture has a poor
> understanding of causality ? Does this usage actually promote the
> _post hoc_ fallacy ?

markers of logical connection have to come from somewhere, and the
ordinary sources are by metaphorical extension from more concrete
items expressing spatial or temporal connection.  often the spatial
or temporal uses vanish, but that can take quite a while, so the
logical uses coexist with the spatial/temporal uses.  people seem not
to find that especially confusing.

and people scarcely need encouragement to take temporal coincidence
or succession for causation.  this is powerful folk reasoning.

arnold

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