Single Idea 9132

[catalogued under 9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 3. Unity Problems / e. Vague objects]

Full Idea

Sometimes an exclusive 'or' gradually develops into an inclusive 'or'. A restaurant offers 'free coffee or juice'. The customers ask for both, and gradually they are given it, first as a courtesy, and eventually as an expectation.

Gist of Idea

An offer of 'free coffee or juice' could slowly shift from exclusive 'or' to inclusive 'or'

Source

Roy Sorensen (Vagueness and Contradiction [2001], 7.2)

Book Reference

Sorensen,Roy: 'Vagueness and Contradiction' [OUP 2004], p.112


A Reaction

[compressed] A very nice example - of the rot of vagueness even seeping into the basic logical connectives. We don't have to accept it, though. Each instance of usage of 'or', by manager or customer, might be clearly one or the other.