In "Causal Theory of Perception", Grice coined 'implication' -- "doubt or denial" implication:
"I perceive that this thing in front of me is a cat"
--- "It seems to me as though this thing opposite me is a fierce cat wanting me to devour me".
The logic is:
S is P
-- when we say:
"S seems P"
what we mean, really, and thus we shouldn't 'elide' (to echo R. B. Jones?) is:
"S seems to BE P"
But people are sloppy!
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This reminds me of the old "e-prime" movement. At times, that move--instead of " A is B", "A seems (or seemed) to be B"--would be prudent--say in regard to reported news, even the Katie Couric, or Foxnewsbots telling us about supposed events. We live in an Orwellian world. Imagine Katie saying... "it seems like" before each of her pronouncements of the Facts...
ReplyDeleteYet it's cumbersome, not to say...implied by most sane humans. When Mrs. McGrundy testifies on what she saw when some perps allegedly burglarized her neighbor she obviously reports what she thought she saw--not it seemed like ...Mr Jackson climbed the fence, but..he did!. Requiring all reports to have the qualifier seem or appear ...seems a bit weird.
Yes, it is SO weird that I may write a book about it OR a post to this blog. Remind me!
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