Re: Paradox: NO OPPRESSION IN AMERICA

[Jeremey Barrett <jeremey@veriweb.com>]

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Well I'm just grumpy enough right now to tear this apart... :)

On Fri, 20 Sep 1996, Douglas B. Renner wrote:

> Those of you who took Logic 1001 will recall the paradox known as 
> "The Heap" which goes like this:
> 
> 1. A single grain of sand does not constitute a heap of sand.

An debatable but valid assumption.

> 2. You can create a heap from a non-heap by adding a single grain of sand.

How is a non-heap defined? 1 grain? 0 grains? If (2) is to be true, it 
can't be 0, since you assumed (1), so a non-heap must be 1 grain.

> 3. Therefore, there is *NO SUCH THING* as a heap of sand.

Huh? How do you draw that conclusion? (1) and (2) are not contradictory in
any way. You said 1 grain is not a heap, but >1 is. Fine. Valid way of
defining a heap/non-heap of sand. Nothing to do with (3).

> 
> You with me here?  Okay, this is important, because the public actually does 
> think like this:

Very debatable. Very general.

> 
> 1. Our current society in America is not oppressive. (generally accepted)

Very debatable.

> 
> 2. You cannot change a non-oppressive society into an oppressive society
>    by removing one liberty from its citizens.   (also generally accepted)

Rubbish. If the government removes all liberties at once, that's 
oppressive, but if they do it one at a time, it's not?

> 
> 3. Therefore, it is not possible for America to become an oppressive society.
> 

More Rubbish. Not only are your assumptions flawed, but the heap
argument and the oppression argument are entirely unrelated.

Nothing personal, mind you. :)

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Jeremey Barrett
Senior Software Engineer                         jeremey@veriweb.com
VeriWeb Internet Corp.                           http://www.veriweb.com/

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