----------
> From: Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Anyone watch "Firefly"?
> Date: Thursday, September 26, 2002 8:41 PM
>
> The Fool wrote:
> >
> > > From: William T Goodall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > There are facts and there are opinions. Facts can be tautological
facts
> > > (like 2+2=4) or empirical facts (the Titanic sank).
> >
> > 2+2=4 is not a tautology, it is based on an axiom, a 'given'. A
> > tautology is circular reasoning, self referential.
>
> The OED definition of "tautology" lists
> f. Mod. Logic. A compound proposition which is unconditionally true for
> all the truth-possibilities of its elementary propositions and by
virtue
> of its logical form.
>
> I think that 2+2=4 falls under that.
2 apples + 2 oranges = 4 fruit /= 4 apples /= 4 oranges
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