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[dbarrett at blazemonger.com (Daniel Barrett)]

On 04/01/2014 10:21 PM, markw at mohawksoft.com wrote:
> Just because someone says something doesn't mean its true.

Ah, but sometimes it does. The phenomenon is called a performative
utterance.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performative_utterance

When someone says, "I now pronounce you husband and wife," or "This
green paper represents $100," these statements become true if a group
of people believes they are true. Not true like the speed of light in
a vacuum, but true in social reality.

Of course, when some idiot utters a demand, it doesn't automatically
become true... unless everybody else believes it's true, in which case
you're SOL.

Today's unnecessary tirade on reality was brought to you by the
Amalgamated Union of Philosophers, Sages, Luminaries, and Other
Professional Thinking Persons.

--
Dan Barrett
dbarrett at blazemonger.com