Wednesday, December 31, 2008

trivial indexicals

We're all familiar with trivial statements like "Either it rains on January 4th, 2o09, or it doesn't." A more tricky and complicated statement is "It's raining out but I don't believe it" - a trivially false indexical statement. I mention this because I have a habit, when I run into people I know, of exclaiming "It's you!"

But every time, I fervently hope that they will rip off a latex mask, Mission: Impossible-style, and announce, "Actually, it isn't!"

(The most famous trivial indexical: "I think, therefore I am")

No comments: