#126
Posted: 12/15/09 at 6:20pm
I suppose I don't really want to drag it off topic too much, but I'll say that - holding different, opposite opinions isn't really a contradiction (which is when something is true and not true at the same time):
(case A)
1. Person believes X
2. Another Person believes 'not' X
Both of these can be true, they aren't the opposite of each other. (As you said a person can believe what they want and it doesn't mean it is true). The opposite of each other (and therefore a contradiction) is:
(Case B)
1. Person believes X
2. (same) Person believes 'Not' X
(I.e. it can't be true that someone can believe something, but not believe the same thing, at the same time)
or
(Case C)
1. X
2. 'Not' X
(I.e. it can't be true that X exists, and X doesn't exist, at the same time)
And even if Case A were a contradiction (which as I said I don't think it is), I doubt Scripps2 was talking about it in terms of that - it isn't controversial and doesn't say anything about the actual beliefs they hold. So I think he is talking about Case C -
e.g. 1.Zeta Jones' is good in certain scenes
and 2. Zeta Jones' is not good in (the same) certain scenes
I can't understand how he could say something like this is 'true'.
I understand that he could mean in the form:
1. Zeta Jones is good in some scenes
2. Zeta Jones is not good in other scenes
But this isn't a contradiction, because 2 isn't the opposite of 1 (The opposite being not good in those same scenes).
Maybe this seems stupidly 'anal' or whatever (not in the good way, unfortunately :P), but still. I guess "contradiction" is also used somewhat freely in common speech, but I don't know - I just feel it necessary to say something when I don't agree with something [I guess this is what a forum is about, after all).
(case A)
1. Person believes X
2. Another Person believes 'not' X
Both of these can be true, they aren't the opposite of each other. (As you said a person can believe what they want and it doesn't mean it is true). The opposite of each other (and therefore a contradiction) is:
(Case B)
1. Person believes X
2. (same) Person believes 'Not' X
(I.e. it can't be true that someone can believe something, but not believe the same thing, at the same time)
or
(Case C)
1. X
2. 'Not' X
(I.e. it can't be true that X exists, and X doesn't exist, at the same time)
And even if Case A were a contradiction (which as I said I don't think it is), I doubt Scripps2 was talking about it in terms of that - it isn't controversial and doesn't say anything about the actual beliefs they hold. So I think he is talking about Case C -
e.g. 1.Zeta Jones' is good in certain scenes
and 2. Zeta Jones' is not good in (the same) certain scenes
I can't understand how he could say something like this is 'true'.
I understand that he could mean in the form:
1. Zeta Jones is good in some scenes
2. Zeta Jones is not good in other scenes
But this isn't a contradiction, because 2 isn't the opposite of 1 (The opposite being not good in those same scenes).
Maybe this seems stupidly 'anal' or whatever (not in the good way, unfortunately :P), but still. I guess "contradiction" is also used somewhat freely in common speech, but I don't know - I just feel it necessary to say something when I don't agree with something [I guess this is what a forum is about, after all).
Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.
