What is a lie?

Michael Straight · 08 Nov 1999, 14:02 · from urth-v0028.mbox · original

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From: Michael Straight <straight at email.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: (urth) What is a lie?
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 14:02:04
Message-ID: <urth-v0028-0426 at digest.urth.net>
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On Mon, 8 Nov 1999, Jeremy W. Crampton wrote:

> And there are yet further levels, which I was (dimly!) aware of in writing
> my post. For example, if we have two contradictory statements (eg., his
> knowledge of his mother) which one do we choose as true? That he remembers
> breast feeding or that he never knew his parents?=20

This line of reasoning seems bizarre to me.  Even if Severian does
remember breastfeeding, would you really label this statement a
contradiction, much less a lie?  "I have memories of breastfeeding, but I
knever knew my mother."  Seems perfectly reasonable and straightforward to
me.=20

-Rostrum

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