"Women have ceased to be ladies and have come to consider themselves equal to men." So, ladies aren't equal to men?
Chivalry is unbiblical. I hold doors for other humans.
The Equivocation of Equal
Hey Dino.
1. Thanks for the welcome back. I hope you've been doing well.
2. Uhhh... on that whole "women are equal to men" thing... a few quick thoughts:
a. When discussing social issues, particular buzzwords like "equal" are generally equivocated into oblivion.
b. This is often done by people with bad intentions, quite intentionally, until all the people with good intentions (like the people here) are simply bogged down, muddled, in all the common misuses of the buzzword.
3. What does all that mean?
4. It means the word "equal" is thrown around, and equivocated, till no one is sure what anyone is talking about.
a. In math, science, logic, and most other fields, the word "equal" means "identical."
b. Uh oh.
c. Things with "equal" lengths have "identical" lengths, and propositions with equal meanings have identical meanings, and people with equal rights have identical rights.
d. The word equal means identical... in regard to whatever specific quality is being referenced.
5. So, if you want to ask the question, "Aren't women equal to men?", I would suggest we plug in a substitute word which is more clear, and which is not equivocated in the realm of social issues. Let's substitute the word "identical".
- As soon as we substitute a CLEAR word, for a word which is commonly equivocated, this WHOLE topic suddenly clears up.
6. So, my question, using a more clear word (bypassing all the equivocation) is to say, "Are women IDENTICAL to men?"
7. What is our answer to that?
8. Our answer would be women ARE identical to men in some ways, but are NOT identical to men in other ways.
a. If this is the case, and it is, then it's very easy for people to have a misunderstanding over this word EQUAL.
b. When we remove the word equal, and replace it with the word identical... everything clears up.
9. And THAT is the solution to this whole argument that we just stepped in.
a. We simply backup, use a word which is NOT a social buzzword, and which is NOT commonly equivocated.
b. And then, by using some linguistic precision, we can examine the issue for what it is, WITHOUT being sidetracked by social and political baggage, and by intentional obfuscation.
Conclusion:
1. When someone asks me if men and women are equal, I start by disallowing the use of a word that is commonly equivocated.
2. I then say "equal means identical, so do YOU think men and women are identical?"
3. As soon as we change the language, everyone is forced to discuss the issue fairly, intelligently, and with proper precision... and it clears itself up.
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