From: Michael Slone (harvel_at_tarski.2y.net)
Date: Wed Feb 27 2002 - 14:54:51 PST
-----begin rule-----
This rule is exempt from the requirements of 178:4, pending patent
litigation from beyond the grave.
A cow hat is a method for determining whether certain restrictions are
in effect. The cow hat is worn by a rule maker with respect to a rule
just when that rule obeys its own restriction. For instance, 178:2
indicates that rules submitted after it, shall not obey their own
restriction. Because 178:2 restricts only rules submitted after it,
it vacuously obeys its own restriction; therefore, Rich Holmes wears
the cow hat with respect to 178:2. The next rule, 178:3, attempts to
extend the restriction of 178:3; it requires future rule makers ---
that is, those besides Johnathan Van Matre, Rich Holmes, and Alan
Riddell --- not to wear the cow hat, not just with respect to the
rules they write, but with respect to any rules.
It might appear that Alan Riddell wears the cow hat with respect to
178:3 --- after all, the first sentence seems to indicate so, and Alan
Riddell, who is not a future rule maker, could not possibly be a
future rule maker who does not wear the cow hat. But 178:3 is valid,
which implies that Alan Riddell does not wear the cow hat with respect
to 178:3, a contradiction. According to Cowine, we may reject even
seemingly sensible hypotheses instead of patently absurd ones in the
face of contradiction and obtain a consistent system, but we are then
forced to reinterpret sufficiently many terms of our language, though
perhaps not in the same rule, in order to do so. Hence we may
conclude that wearing the cow hat with respect to a rule, while having
the definition given in the second sentence of this rule, is such that
it is never correct to say of a rule maker that e does or that e does
not wear the cow hat with respect to any particular rule.
Buzz. Moo. Buzz.
------end rule------
--
Michael Slone (harvel) - http://tarski.2y.net/~harvel/
I have given this comment the consideration it deserves.
-- Murphy, in agora-discussion
--
Rule Date: 2002-02-27 22:55:11 GMT
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