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Re: Logical consistency (was Re: Uniqueness and Sin ( x ))
Posted:
May 24, 2000 1:03 PM
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At 10:03 AM -0700 5/24/00, Kazimierz Wiesak wrote:
>I hesitate to continue this line...
>
>At 04:18 PM 5/23/00 -0400, Alan Stein wrote:
>>
>>While there are other semitic people besides Jews, the term
>>anti-semitic applies only to hatred of Jews. Thus, for example, it is
>>quite possible for semites to be anti-semitic; indeed, one needs only
>>to be aware of the virulent anti-semitic rantings coming out of the
>>Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Syria, etc. to recognize that it's not
>>only possible, but widespread.
>>--
>
>As a mathematician, Alan should appreciate the value of logical consistency
>of the words we use. This makes mutual communication between people easier
>and social manipulations more difficult.
>Consequently, he should call people who are anti-X anti-X, not anti-B.
>Some Arabs may indeed hate Jews (why?) as some Jews may indeed hate Arabs
>(why?). But those hates can be properly called only inter-semitic hates,
>not anti-semitic hates.
>
>We struggle to teach our students to be logically consistent in
>mathematics. Once a meaning to the word "anti-" has been assigned (however
>vague that meaning can be) we should keep it and use it properly.
>
>Kaz
In an ideal world, not only would such logic prevail, but any
discussion of the term anti-semitism would be of purely academic
interest, since anti-semitism would not actually exist.
The world we live in is not quite that logical, and the term
anti-semitism has a specific meaning that is not what one would
expect by logically looking at its components, which perhaps itself
is appropriate--why should we expect logic to prevail regarding terms
describing something that itself is totally illogical.
--
Alan H. Stein stein@math.uconn.edu
Department of Mathematics http://www.math.uconn.edu/~stein
The University of Connecticut http://www.alanstein.com
32 Hillside Avenue Voice: (203) 236-9859
Waterbury, CT 06710 Fax: (203) 236-9805
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