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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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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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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"

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.

guano = dingbat

Dr. Dre wrote:guano = dingbat