Re: xor questions (was Re: indirect Qs (was Re: On logji lo

[Logical Language Group <lojbab@access.digex.net>]

>Because "du" is object identity: it claims that its sumti refer to the same
>object.  When you say "ma du X" then any sumti that co-references X is
>a correct answer, even if unhelpful because of its over-generality.
>
>For example, if you ask me "Is it Cicero or Caesar who is the author of the
>First Oration Against Catiline?" then I may truthfully reply
>"Tully", because Cicero is Tully (that is, the names "Cicero" and "Tully"
>co-refer), even if you don't know that.  With equal truth, and even
>greater unhelpfulness, I may reply "A Roman" or "A man" or "An object",
>since Cicero is all these things: it is correct to assert that a Roman
>is a member of the set {Cicero, Caesar}.

In one breath you guys are asserting that you would not believe me if
I said there are people who know that Christ was born on Christmas Day,
while here you are asserting that anyone would find "a Latin" as 
acceptable answer to ""Is it Cicero or Caesar who is the author ..."
I don't believe YOU on this one.  I would accept "Tully" since as you say
"Tully" = "Cicero".  But "A Latin" != "Cicero".  It would be a valid answer
to another question, but not this one.

At Christmas time, I have to be a master of giving evasive answers to
inquisitive kids, but both they and I know when I am making a joke
rather than answering.

As for "du" - it is supposed to be mathematical equality.
"1" != "an integer" in mathematics.

lojbab