F. Yus quotes D. Rumsfeld, as quoted by ABC News Online:
>>"[A]s we know, there are known knowns; there are
>>things we know we know," Rumsfeld told a press briefing.
and comments:
>Several metarepresentational levels required to
>access what Rumsfeld 'really knows'.
As a matter of fact, in Hintikka's system, Rumsfeld's claim comes put as
tautologous (theorematic):
K(A, p) -> K(K(A, p))
Interestingly, Rumsfeld is also inviting us to consider the inverse version
of Hintikka's theorem:
>"there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know
>we don't know."
In symbols:
~K(~K(A, p)) -> ~K(A, p)
A really 'metarepresentational' claim is, however, his middle one, though --
which _must_ quantify over propositions:
>"we know there are some things we do not know."
(Ep) K(A, ~K(A, p))
Cheers,
JL
-----
From ABC News Online
Rumsfeld wins 'Foot in Mouth' award
A bizarre comment by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the hunt for
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction has been awarded the "Foot in Mouth" prize by
Britain's Plain English Campaign.
Mr Rumsfeld, renowned for his uncompromising tough talking, received the
prize for the most baffling comment by a public figure.
"Reports that say something hasn't happened are always interesting to me,
because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know,"
Rumsfeld told a press briefing.
"We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some
things we do not know.
"But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know."
John Lister, spokesman for the campaign which strives to have public
information delivered in clear, straightforward English, said: "We think we know what
he means. But we don't know if we really know."
Mr Rumsfeld, whose boss US President George W Bush is often singled out by
language critics for his sometimes unusual use of English, took the booby prize
ahead of a bizarre effort from actor-turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"I think that gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a
woman," was the odd statement from the new California Governor.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Dec 07 2003 - 20:47:07 GMT