Comments on: Philosophy – 11 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/ Just another Oracle weblog Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:03:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Eric Evans http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-37454 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:44:21 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-37454 As I heard somewhere “I find the English language to the crème de la crème of languages.”

]]> By: Jonathan Lewis http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36358 Sat, 29 May 2010 10:21:42 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36358 Nigel,

You’re allowed to think that. I certainly wouldn’t suggest that your opinion was an indication that you had banged your head.

The concept of the “English Irregular Verb” appeared in two or three episodes of “Yes, (Prime) Minister”, by the way.

]]> By: Nigel http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36331 Wed, 26 May 2010 16:13:35 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36331 But they’re all funny.

]]> By: Jonathan Lewis http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36325 Tue, 25 May 2010 20:02:14 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36325 Nigel,

Don’t worry about it, it’s not a fatal flaw. Some people like Monty Python, some like Fawlty Towers, and some like Yes, (Prime) Minister.

]]> By: Jonathan Lewis http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36324 Tue, 25 May 2010 20:00:42 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36324 Sokrates,

That marks the end of an era. I remember building a hexaflexagon from instructions by Martin Gardiner when I was at (UK secondary) school.

]]> By: Nigel http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36319 Tue, 25 May 2010 09:44:50 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36319 I am born and bred English, with English ancestry, and once took part in a Morris Dancing festival (I am not proud ofit – just making a case for myself) and have laughed even at one or two of Stan Boardman’s better attempts at humour. But I’m still baffled by your examples. Sorry!

]]> By: Sokrates http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36318 Tue, 25 May 2010 07:51:02 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36318 so Martin Gardner died last Saturday
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/us/24gardner.html

]]> By: joel garry http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36317 Mon, 24 May 2010 22:27:59 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36317 I think if Galileo met the internet, he would pull a Cliff Stoll and withdraw into glassmithy.

]]> By: Jonathan Lewis http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36306 Sun, 23 May 2010 13:53:47 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36306 I don’t expect every to understand the intent of everything I write so (particularly for people to whom English is a 2nd, 3rd, or Nth language, but also to those for whom irony is similar to steely) : the “irregular verb” is a traditional form of English humour in which the actions of an individual can be hugely restated depending upon your point of view, for example: “I am decisive”, “You are stubborn”, “He is bloody-minded”.

The humour lies in the extremes between the “I” and “He” forms, and the necessary conflict between diplomacy and bluntness when choosing the “You” form.

The philosophy underlying the humour is the reminder that we sometimes discard a suggestion because of the source, rather than the content. Remember the comment from Galileo: “I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn’t learn something from him.”

]]> By: Nigel http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/philosophy-11/#comment-36293 Fri, 21 May 2010 14:38:59 +0000 http://jonathanlewis.wordpress.com/?p=3696#comment-36293 @Jonathan: Have you banged your head?

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