What does "only some" mean? Forum

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sighsigh

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What does "only some" mean?

Post by sighsigh » Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:32 pm

The only thing we can infer from "some" is ~0. E.g. If some apples are red, we can infer that ~0 apples are red.

But I wonder what "only some" means. E.g. Only some apples are red. Can you infer anything from this in addition to ~0 apples are red?

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CardozoLaw09

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by CardozoLaw09 » Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:34 pm

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Last edited by CardozoLaw09 on Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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elterrible78

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by elterrible78 » Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:36 pm

sighsigh wrote:The only thing we can infer from "some" is ~0. E.g. If some apples are red, we can infer that ~0 apples are red.

But I wonder what "only some" means. E.g. Only some apples are red. Can you infer anything from this in addition to ~0 apples are red?
"Only some" means some but NOT ALL. Anything from .000000000001 up to .9999999999 (if you get my drift) is in play, but NONE and ALL are not.

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by sighsigh » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:06 pm

I know I'm overthinking this, but, what "only ~0" really means is: the next highest number above 0. So, on an integer scale, "only some" would mean 1. On a real number scale, "only some" would be the infinitesimally small number right above 0. :lol:

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:08 pm

elterrible78 wrote:
sighsigh wrote:The only thing we can infer from "some" is ~0. E.g. If some apples are red, we can infer that ~0 apples are red.

But I wonder what "only some" means. E.g. Only some apples are red. Can you infer anything from this in addition to ~0 apples are red?
"Only some" means some but NOT ALL. Anything from .000000000001 up to .9999999999 (if you get my drift) is in play, but NONE and ALL are not.
This.
Not all means some not. So, there exists an apple that is red, and there exists an apple that is ~red.

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Legacy Rabbit

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by Legacy Rabbit » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:11 pm

elterrible78 wrote:
sighsigh wrote:The only thing we can infer from "some" is ~0. E.g. If some apples are red, we can infer that ~0 apples are red.

But I wonder what "only some" means. E.g. Only some apples are red. Can you infer anything from this in addition to ~0 apples are red?
"Only some" means some but NOT ALL. Anything from .000000000001 up to .9999999999 (if you get my drift) is in play, but NONE and ALL are not.
ONLY SOME, one can infer:
1. At least one
2. NOT All

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:12 pm

sighsigh wrote:I know I'm overthinking this, but, what "only ~0" really means is: the next highest number above 0. So, on an integer scale, "only some" would mean 1. On a real number scale, "only some" would be the infinitesimally small number right above 0. :lol:
Some apples are red is also true if all apples are red. The "only" is limiting this. Think of it in terms of natural numbers. If there are 100 apples and only some apples are red, then you know at least one is red and at least one is not. 98 other apples are not determined yet.

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guano

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by guano » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:08 pm

sorry, but if someone is too dumb to know what "only some" means, they probably should give up now

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:24 pm

guano wrote:sorry, but if someone is too dumb to know what "only some" means, they probably should give up now
To be fair, I think the way that "only some" is used by people in conversation isn't always (∃x)(Rx) · ~(∀x)(Rx) in their heads. Not everyone is as smart as guano.

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guano

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by guano » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:31 pm

A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A wrote:
guano wrote:sorry, but if someone is too dumb to know what "only some" means, they probably should give up now
To be fair, I think the way that "only some" is used by people in conversation isn't always (∃x)(Rx) · ~(∀x)(Rx) in their heads. Not everyone is as smart as guano.
I can't imagine "only some" being used in any way other than "more than none and less than all"

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:40 pm

guano wrote:
A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A wrote:
guano wrote:sorry, but if someone is too dumb to know what "only some" means, they probably should give up now
To be fair, I think the way that "only some" is used by people in conversation isn't always (∃x)(Rx) · ~(∀x)(Rx) in their heads. Not everyone is as smart as guano.
I can't imagine "only some" being used in any way other than "more than none and less than all"
People say "I bought some apples" or "I bought an apple," so it might be incorrectly assumed that "some" is plural.

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by Dr. Dre » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:43 pm

guano = dingbat

Davidbentley

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Re: What does "only some" mean?

Post by Davidbentley » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:47 pm

Dr. Dre wrote:guano = dingbat
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