Cats and gods.

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Topic:	Religions > Atheism
User:	"David Canzi -- non-mailable"
Date:	29 May 2006 07:28:56 PM
Object:	Cats and gods.

What is the nature of the relationship between the word "cat" and
the type of animal we denote by that name? Any other sequence of
phonemes or (pronounceable) sequence of letters could have been
used for the purpose of naming the animal and it would have made no
difference, They could just as well have been called gorns or zeems.
We are not born knowing what words mean: the meanings of words
must be learned. This necessity imposes several requirements: (1)
The word, whether in the form of sounds, shapes printed on paper,
smoke signals, etc., must be fairly reliably distinguishable
from other words and from the absence of words. (2) The thing
the word describes must be fairly reliably distinguishable from
things that the word does not describe. (3) The presence of the
thing the word describes must be fairly reliably distinguishable
from its absence.
In order for a word to denote a referent, ie. to actually be the
name of something, there is one more requirement: (4) At least
one example of what the word describes must exist.
We can learn to recognize the word "cat" reliably, and distinguish
it from similar words like "tat" or "cad". We can learn, either
from pictures or actual sightings, what cats look like. We can
distinguish the presence of a cat from its absence. And so,
we can learn to associate the word "cat" with the animal that
word names. So the word "cat" is meaningful. And most of us are
aware of one or more examples, so the word "cat" is known to have
one or more referents.
We can learn to recognize the word "unicorn" reliably. We can
learn, from pictures, what a unicorn looks like -- how to
distinguish it from any other animal, and how to distinguish the
presence of a unicorn from its absence. So the word "unicorn"
is meaningful. We lack actual examples of unicorns, and so
(so far) the word "unicorn" has no referents.
We can learn to recognize the word "god". Most religions insist
that "god" cannot be detected or observed and must be taken
on faith. We cannot distinguish what we cannot observe from
other things. We cannot distinguish the presence of something
unobservable from its absence. And so, any word claimed to be
the name of something that can't be observed is meaningless.
The word "god" fails more of the conditions required for having
a referent tban the word "unicorn" fails.
Now, the reason I posted this is that somebody, by bringing
up the idea that words and statements can be meaningless, has
irritated an old itch I've long wanted to scratch in public.
The claim is made that, if the word "god" is meaningless,
then the claim that there is no god is also meaningless, and
so strong atheism is not a supportable position. The position
that can be supported is that the word "god", being meaningless,
is not capable of denoting any referent. This conclusion is not
identical to strong atheism, but it differs from strong atheism so
little and so subtly that theists, if they managed to understand
it, would be unable to take any comfort from it.
--
David Canzi Division of explanatory labour: Science explains the
evidence; religion explains the lack of evidence.
.

User: "Robibnikoff"
Title: Re: Cats and gods.	30 May 2006 02:39:41 PM

"David Canzi -- non-mailable" <dmcanzi@remulak.ads.uwaterloo.ca> wrote in
message news:e5g3k8$plp$1@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...

What is the nature of the relationship between the word "cat" and
the type of animal we denote by that name?

I'm sorry, but I have better things to do then ponder this nonsense.
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
.

User: ""
Title: Re: Cats and gods.	30 May 2006 04:10:33 PM

On Tue, 30 May 2006 15:39:41 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:

"David Canzi -- non-mailable" <dmcanzi@remulak.ads.uwaterloo.ca> wrote in
message news:e5g3k8$plp$1@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...

What is the nature of the relationship between the word "cat" and
the type of animal we denote by that name?

I'm sorry, but I have better things to do then ponder this nonsense.

Why is slang for Vagina "*****" when it's *nothing* like a cat?
Sunyata
.

User: "Robibnikoff"
Title: Re: Cats and gods.	31 May 2006 05:29:17 AM

<Sunyata@wastherain.net> wrote in message
news:64dp72dk33acag4efv9eh2a71a7s6000ed@4ax.com...

On Tue, 30 May 2006 15:39:41 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:

"David Canzi -- non-mailable" <dmcanzi@remulak.ads.uwaterloo.ca> wrote in
message news:e5g3k8$plp$1@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...

What is the nature of the relationship between the word "cat" and
the type of animal we denote by that name?

I'm sorry, but I have better things to do then ponder this nonsense.

Why is slang for Vagina "*****" when it's *nothing* like a cat?
Sunyata

What the hell are you asking ME for?!?
I'm still trying to figure out why men call women "broads"! ;)
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
.

User: ""
Title: Re: Cats and gods.	31 May 2006 07:27:32 AM

In <4e59fvF1d5hkdU1@individual.net>, on 05/31/06
at 06:29 AM, "Robibnikoff" <witchypoo@broomstick.com> said:

<Sunyata@wastherain.net> wrote in message
news:64dp72dk33acag4efv9eh2a71a7s6000ed@4ax.com...

On Tue, 30 May 2006 15:39:41 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:

"David Canzi -- non-mailable" <dmcanzi@remulak.ads.uwaterloo.ca> wrote in
message news:e5g3k8$plp$1@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...

What is the nature of the relationship between the word "cat" and
the type of animal we denote by that name?

I'm sorry, but I have better things to do then ponder this nonsense.

Why is slang for Vagina "*****" when it's *nothing* like a cat?
Sunyata

What the hell are you asking ME for?!?
I'm still trying to figure out why men call women "broads"! ;) --

Becuse many of them get broad across the ***** when they age or give birth?
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=broad&searchmode=none
broad
O.E. brad, from P.Gmc. *braithaz (cf. O.Fris. bred, O.N. brei�r, Du. breed, Ger. breit, Goth. brou�s), of unknown origin. Not found outside Gmc. languages. Slang extension to meaning "woman" (1911) may be suggestive of broad hips, but it also may trace to Amer.Eng. abroadwife, for a woman away from her husband, often a slave. Earliest use suggests immorality or coarse, low-class women. Because of this negative association, and the rise of women in athletics, the track and field broad jump was changed to the long jump c. 1967. Broadside (nautical), 1591, "the side of a ship above the water, between the bow and the quarter." Broadcast, originally "scattering seed" (1767), applied to radio waves 1921. Broadsword is O.E. brad swurd. There was a street named Broadway in many towns; the allusive use for "New York theater district" is first recorded 1881.
walksalone who is temporarily on vacation, in Alpha Centuri. On second thought, I think I will visit the restaurant, on the other side of the edge of the universe.
--
Death and flitting are hard on housekeeping.
.

User: "Robibnikoff"
Title: Re: Cats and gods.	31 May 2006 08:43:23 AM

<walksalone@dastardly.dirty.deeds.done.dirt.cheap> wrote in message
news:447d8cb9$1$jnyxfnybar$mr2ice@127.0.0.1...

In <4e59fvF1d5hkdU1@individual.net>, on 05/31/06
at 06:29 AM, "Robibnikoff" <witchypoo@broomstick.com> said:

<Sunyata@wastherain.net> wrote in message
news:64dp72dk33acag4efv9eh2a71a7s6000ed@4ax.com...

On Tue, 30 May 2006 15:39:41 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:

"David Canzi -- non-mailable" <dmcanzi@remulak.ads.uwaterloo.ca> wrote
in
message news:e5g3k8$plp$1@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...

What is the nature of the relationship between the word "cat" and
the type of animal we denote by that name?

I'm sorry, but I have better things to do then ponder this nonsense.

Why is slang for Vagina "*****" when it's *nothing* like a cat?
Sunyata

What the hell are you asking ME for?!?

I'm still trying to figure out why men call women "broads"! ;) --

Becuse many of them get broad across the ***** when they age or give birth?

HEY!!

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=broad&searchmode=none
broad
O.E. brad, from P.Gmc. *braithaz (cf. O.Fris. bred, O.N. brei�r, Du.
breed, Ger. breit, Goth. brou�s), of unknown origin. Not found outside
Gmc. languages. Slang extension to meaning "woman" (1911) may be
suggestive of broad hips, but it also may trace to Amer.Eng. abroadwife,
for a woman away from her husband, often a slave. Earliest use suggests
immorality or coarse, low-class women. Because of this negative
association, and the rise of women in athletics, the track and field broad
jump was changed to the long jump c. 1967. Broadside (nautical), 1591,
"the side of a ship above the water, between the bow and the quarter."
Broadcast, originally "scattering seed" (1767), applied to radio waves
1921. Broadsword is O.E. brad swurd. There was a street named Broadway in
many towns; the allusive use for "New York theater district" is first
recorded 1881.

Very interesting - Thanks for posting this :)
Well, if women are referred to as "broads" as in broad hips, shall we refer
to men as "beer bellies"? :)

walksalone who is temporarily on vacation, in Alpha Centuri. On second
thought, I think I will visit the restaurant, on the other side of the
edge of the universe.

Cool - Has an Astro Burger on me :)
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
.

User: "stoney"
Title: Re: Cats and gods.	02 Jun 2006 10:32:54 PM

On Wed, 31 May 2006 09:43:23 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote in alt.atheism