Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Discussion Scenario #2: "The Exception"

When two people have a discussion in which one person thinks something *always* happens or is *always* true and the other person disagrees, the advantage automatically goes to the latter individual.

Why?

Well, to prove or substantiate the claim that something is *always* true, one must prove that every possible scenario (within a given context) will result in X occurring. That's a serious task. Unless you've got some mathematics to support your position, you're more or less taking a leap of faith and asking... no, demanding, that the rest of us leap right along with you.

On the other hand...

The person who suggests that X is NOT always true simply has to come up with ONE. SINGLE. SCENARIO. in which Y or Z occurs (assuming, of course, that X≠Y or Z).

Hmm...

Which is easier, accounting for an infinite number of scenarios and results... or accounting for ONE?

I know which one *I'd* rather do. Coming up with one scenario seems hella easier than a number so big that even if you subtract one from it, it's still the same number. That's how big infinity is.


This exception makes all the difference when your position suggests that something is, was, and *always* will be true (which few things are, anyway).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't subscribe to "always" or "never"

West said...

Never that.

Anonymous said...

People have it bad saying that something always happens. No, it doesn't always happen...

Shai said...

Whew! My goodness you really was into that one. LOL. Were you on the side of not true always?

Anonymous said...

Infinity is not a number. The sentence should read:

"Coming up with one scenario seems hella easier than a range of scenarios so big that even if you halve the amount, it's still the same range."

That's how big infinity is.

West said...

Whether infinity is a number or not depend on your reference source. Whatever the case, the point of the post remains the same.