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Single Idea 16483

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 2. Logical Connectives / e. or ]

Full Idea

Another situation in which a disjunction may arise is practice is imperfect memory. 'Either Brown or Jones told me that'.

Gist of Idea

Disjunction may also arise in practice if there is imperfect memory.

Source

Bertrand Russell (An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth [1940], 5)

Book Ref

Russell,Bertrand: 'An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth' [Penguin 1967], p.83

Related Idea

Idea 16480 A disjunction expresses indecision [Russell]

The 8 ideas with the same theme [role of 'or' in systems of logic]:

21676 Epicureans say disjunctions can be true whiile the disjuncts are not true [Epicurus, by Cicero]
16479 'Or' expresses hesitation, in a dog at a crossroads, or birds risking grabbing crumbs [Russell]
16481 'Or' expresses a mental state, not something about the world [Russell]
16487 Maybe the 'or' used to describe mental states is not the 'or' of logic [Russell]
16483 Disjunction may also arise in practice if there is imperfect memory. [Russell]
16480 A disjunction expresses indecision [Russell]
16465 In 'S was F or some other than S was F', the disjuncts need S, but the whole disjunction doesn't [Stalnaker]
15424 Asserting a disjunction from one disjunct seems odd, but can be sensible, and needed in maths [Burgess]