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Idea shorts
1. Idea shorts
Here is a place for short ideas that will be expanded at some point in the future. As such, the content will change often.
Multiple links to the same page means that there are multiple sub-topics covered as short ideas on those pages.
2. Aristotle: word order
One often hears that word order is used, say in Greek, to emphasize parts of what is said. This may or may not be true and depends on context. Aristotle points this out. Note: The translator adds some extra words to clarify what is said.
English: You can transpose the subject and predicate. No change in the meaning, however, of the sentence is thereby involved. This we say 'man in white', 'white is man'. (Loeb#325, p. 149)
Greek: Μετατιθέμενα δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα καὶ τὰ ῥήματα ταὐτὸν σημαίνει, οἷον ἔστι λευκὸς ἄνθρωπος—ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος λευκός· Aristotle: On Interpretation [20b]
English: To transpose the subject and predicate, therefore, makes no alteration in the sense of affirmations and denials. (Loeb#325, p. 151)
Greek: ὅτι μὲν οὖν μετατιθεμένου τοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ τοῦ ῥήματος ἡ αὐτὴ γίγνεται κατάφασις καὶ ἀπόφασις, δῆλον. Aristotle: On Interpretation [20b]
3. Nature and law and justice
In his
On Sophistic Refutations, Aristotle says that from ancient times, nature (truth) and law (opinion) are opposites and that justice goes with the law (opinion) but not with nature (truth).
English: Nature and Law are opposites, and justice is a good thing according to the law but not according to nature. Loeb #400, p. 73.
Greek: ἐναντία γὰρ εἶναι φύσιν καὶ νόμον, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην κατὰ νόμον μὲν εἶναι καλόν, κατὰ φύσιν δ´ οὐ καλόν Sophistic Refutations [173b]
"φύση" ≈ "nature, reality" (reality truth) as in "physics".
"νόμος" ≈ "custom, law" (opinion truth) as in "Deuteronomy" as in "second law". The Greek for "iniquity" is "against the law".
"δικαιοσύνη" ≈ "righteousness, justice".
Whenever Jesus, Paul, etc., use the word for
"righteousness" one must determine from context what is meant. There may be double meanings.
☐ God's
"righteousness" (opinion, glory, etc.).
☐ man's
"righteousness" (opinion, glory, etc.).
4. Truth and opinion
5. Matthew 23:24 Put it together
Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. [kjv]
οδηγοι τυφλοι διυλιζοντες τον κωνωπα την δε καμηλον καταπινοντες [gnt]
English: strain the gnat the of/which the camel swallow
Greek: διυλιζοντες τον κωνωπα την δε κάμηλον καταπινοντες (as written
Greek: δια λιζοντες τον κωνο πετεινα και μυλόν καταπινοντες (play on words)
English: through the matter/play the cone/hemlock/poison birds and apple swallow
The flexible Greek word order is sometimes used to create a play on words that adds the imagery and meaning to the actual words.
Had the religious establishment in Judea attempted to "
swallow" the "
poison" and/or "
blood" of the (Roman) "
birds" and "
apple"? There are other ways that the play on words could create mental imagery.
The Greek for "
gnat" is the source of the English word
"canopy".
6. Fact checking fallacy
The fact checking logic fallacy goes as follows. FYI: I made up the name for this pattern. It may already have a name.
Take the facts that someone has presented for their argument.
Find at least one fact that can be shown to not be true in some manner.
Claim that everything in their argument is not true.
Claim (or imply) that this makes your arguments true.
Note that this combines a number of other logic fallacies.
7. Checking the fact checking
A follow-on logic fallacy is to claim you are fact checking the fact checking.
This might be called meta-fact-checking but works in basically the same way.
A campaign against "
misinformation" appears to be very similar that of "
fact checking".
8. Fact check fallacy: bad logic and conclusions
One may make the claim that
A implies B. Most people think (incorrectly) that showing a
fact in
A to be
incorrect makes
B not true. This is the
fact check fallacy.
| argument: |
A implies B |
fact check:
(fallacy) |
not A implies not B
(not true in general) |
As Aristotle points out, using bad or invalid logic does not mean that the conclusion is false. One needs to do more analysis to determine that.
Deceptive leaders or teachers, called by Jesus as
"birds" know about the
fact check fallacy and will attempt to point out real or deceptive facts that are incorrect in ideas with which they do not agree while, at the some time, preening their feathers so they cannot be
fact checked.
That many people believe the
fact check fallacy means that, in practice, one should include no more in an argument than is absolutely necessary - to avoid true or deceptive
fact checking.
9. False dilemma fallacy: excluded middle
A "
false dilemma" is a logical fallacy whereby only a few of all possible choices are presented as being "
collectively exhaustive". In some cases, the choices presented are not "
mutually exclusive".
This fallacy is sometimes called the fallacy of "
excluded middle". Another name is that of "
false dichotomy" though the fallacy can involve more than two choices as in the trilemma: liar, lunatic or Lord.
10. Option buttons and check boxes
In user interface design,
option or
radio buttons allow one choice from a set of selections whereas
check boxes allow each selection to be either checked or not checked.
11. The divine Savior
Many scholars argue that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah.
Where does the Bible say that Jesus say that he is divine?
Pharaoh would not let Moses and his people go. Did that attitude end up in his soldiers?
It appears so. In some sense, his soldiers would see that they were in denial (the Nile).
12. John 15:5 Favorite Bible verse
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [kjv]
εγω ειμι η αμπελος υμεις τα κληματα ο μενων εν εμοι καγω εν αυτω ουτος φερει καρπον πολυν οτι χωρις εμου ου δυνασθε ποιειν ουδεν [gnt]
This verse goes with the
next verse.
Some people cite John 15:5 as their favorite Bible verse. How nice. The "
abide" or "
remain" appears, in context, to be related to the Meno Paradox.
English changes the double negative for emphasis to a single negative. The "
can do" is, in the Greek, "
potentially do". The next verse completes the thought.
13. John 15:6 Paired verses
John 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [kjv]
εαν μη τις μενη εν εμοι εβληθη εξω ως το κλημα και εξηρανθη και συναγουσιν αυτα και εις το πυρ βαλλουσιν και καιεται [gnt]
This verse goes with the
previous verse.
The first
"cast" is a play on words with "
into oblivion/forgetfulness". Many churches who might use the previous verse would not want to talk about the
"fire" and being "
burned". The ancient Greek word
"καίω" ≈ "light, kindle, burn".
14. John 15:5-6 Conditional logic
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [kjv]
15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [kjv]
The pattern used here by John is that of conditional logic.
15. Methods of Satan
... more to be added ...
16. Proverbs 21:12
17. Proverbs 21:12
KJV: The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
Hebrew: משכיל צדיק לבית רשע מסלף רשעים לרע׃
Greek: συνιει δικαιος καρδιας ασεβων και φαυλιζει ασεβεις εν κακοις
Brenton: A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
18. Hosea 2:6
Hosea 2:6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. [kjv]
δια τουτο ιδου εγω φρασσω την οδον αυτης εν σκολοψιν και ανοικοδομησω τας οδους αυτης και την τριβον αυτης ου μη ευρη [lxx]
The Hebrew parallelism associates "
hedge" with "
wall" as in a "
dam".
19. Hosea 2:6
KJV: Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
Hebrew: לכן הנני שך את דרכך בסירים וגדרתי את גדרה ונתיבותיה לא תמצא׃
Greek: δια τουτο ιδου εγω φρασσω την οδον αυτης εν σκολοψιν και ανοικοδομησω τας οδους αυτης και την τριβον αυτης ου μη ευρη
20. Proverbs 21:13
21. Strong and weak
The ancient Greek word
"σθένος" ≈ "strength, might, power". Prefixing the
negating alpha results in
"ἀσθενής" ≈ "without strength, feeble, sickly, insignificant".
Job 4:10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. [kjv]
σθενος λεοντος φωνη δε λεαινης γαυριαμα δε δρακοντων εσβεσθη [lxx]
The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched. [bs3]
Matthew 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? [kjv]
ποτε δε σε ειδομεν ασθενουντα η εν φυλακη και ηλθομεν προς σε [gnt]
The
LXX has
"strength" for "
roaring". The
LXX has
"dragons" which is not in the
KJV or the
HOT.
22. Proverbs 21:13
Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. [kjv]
ος φρασσει τα ωτα του μη επακουσαι ασθενους και αυτος επικαλεσεται και ουκ εσται ο εισακουων [lxx]
The idea appears to be that of "
crying" "
wolf" in a
reverse sense.
This verse is used by many to claim that if one does not help the
destitute poor, God will
not hear your prayers.
Does God hear all prayers or wishes (same Greek word)?
Does God answer all prayers or wishes (same Greek word)?
Is the answer always what is desired?
23. Proverbs 21:13
KJV: Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
Hebrew: אטם אזנו מזעקת דל גם הוא יקרא ולא יענה׃
Greek: ος φρασσει τα ωτα του μη επακουσαι ασθενους και αυτος επικαλεσεται και ουκ εσται ο εισακουων
Brenton: He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear him.
24. Matthew 5:40 I am what reality/being
Matthew 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. [kjv]
και τω θελοντι σοι κριθηναι και τον χιτωνα σου λαβειν αφες αυτω και το ιματιον [gnt]
The Greek word for
"garment" can be a play on words with "
I am what reality/being?". This can be done with slower pronunciation of the words and appropriate hand movements while speaking.
The ancient Greek word
"ἱμάτιον" ≈ "garment" and is from
"εἷμᾰ" ≈ "garment".
"εἶμαι" ≈ "I am".
"τι" ≈ "what".
"ὄν" ≈ "reality, being".
25. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations
English: We have now dealt with the sources of questions and how they ought to be asked in competitive arguments. We must next treat of answering and how solutions are brought about, and what are their subjects, and for what purpose such arguments are useful. (Loeb#100. p 87)
Greek: Ἐξ ὧν μὲν οὖν αἱ ἐρωτήσεις καὶ πῶς ἐρωτητέον ἐν ταῖς ἀγωνιστικαῖς διατριβαῖς, εἴρηται. ΄ Περὶ δὲ ἀποκρίσεως καὶ πῶς χρὴ λύειν καὶ τί, καὶ πρὸς τίνα χρῆσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι τῶν λόγων ὠφέλιμοι, μετὰ ταῦτα λεκτέον. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations [175a]
Aristotle covers how to handle "
questions" and "
answers" in "
competitive" "
arguments" (literally, "
through friction") and "
reasoning" (both translated as "
arguments").
The Greek word translated as "
solve" is often translated in the
GNT (Greek New Testament) as "
destroy" or "
dissolve". The word means to "
loosen" and is often in the context of "
solving" a "
problem".
26. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations
English: They are useful for philosophy for two reasons. In the first place, as the generally turn on language, they put us in a better position to appreciate the various meanings which a term can have and what similarities and differences attach to things and their names. (Loeb#100, p. 87)
Greek: Χρήσιμοι μὲν οὖν εἰσι πρὸς μὲν φιλοσοφίαν διὰ δύο. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ γινόμενοι παρὰ τὴν λέξιν ἄμεινον ἔχειν ποιοῦσι πρὸς τὸ ποσαχῶς ἕκαστον λέγεται καὶ ποῖα ὁμοίως καὶ ποῖα ἑτέρως ἐπί τε τῶν πραγμάτων συμβαίνει καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀνομάτων. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations [175o]
Abstraction involves "
similarities" and "
differences". The two Greek words are often translated in English as "
other" without distinguishing "
similar" or "
different".
As Aristotle explains, "
names" are attached to "
things". An
equivocation attempts to confuse the "
meaning" of "
things" by attaching similar "
names".
27. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations
English: Secondly, they are useful for the questions which arise in one's own mind; for he who is easily led astray by another person into false reasoning and does not notice his error, might also often fall into this error in his own mind. (Loeb#100), p. 97
Greek: Δεύτερον δὲ πρὸς τὰς καθ´ αὑτὸν ζητήσεις· ὁ γὰρ ὑφ´ ἑτέρου ῥᾳδίως παραλογιζόμενος καὶ τοῦτο μὴ διαισθανόμενος κἂν αὐτὸς ὑφ´ αὑτοῦ τοῦτο πάθοι πολλάκις. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations [175b]
28. Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations
English: The third and last reason is that they establish our reputation, by giving us the credit of having received a universal training and of having left nothing untried. (Loeb#100, p. 87)
Greek: Τρίτον δὲ καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἔτι πρὸς δόξαν, τὸ περὶ πάντα γεγυμνάσθαι δοκεῖν καὶ μηδενὸς ἀπείρως ἔχειν· Aristotle: Sophistic Refutations [175b]
Aristotle had said there were "
two" reasons, but here he provides another "
third" reason. But wait, there's more.
The ancient Greek name
"Εὐριπίδης" ≈ "Euripedes", a Greek author (480-406 BC), said the following in his work
Heraclidae (about 428 BC):
Leave no stone unturned.
The story goes back to a general, Mardonius, one of the generals of Xerxes, who is said to have buried treasure near his tent before being defeated (battle of Plataea about 477 BC). The Oracle at Delphi advised those asking to "
move every stone". The modern English terminology is from the 1500's.
29. Baptism embarrassment
On page 140, the following is stated under
Embarrassment.
... one such event in the life of Jesus was his baptism by John. John summoned Israel to repent and be baptized. In what sense did Jesus need to repent? According to Christian theology, Jesus was sinless, so he did not need to repent. Hence, the story of Jesus baptism is potentially awkward or embarrassing. Surely the early church would not invent a story like this if it had no basis in historical fact. Therefore, even the most server critics concede that the story of Jesus' baptism is authentic.
The questionable logic is that since this story was included, and potentially embarrassing, it proves the authentic nature of what was written. This questionable logic assumes the modern English meaning of
repent. Greek had two words that are translated as
repent.
Think about what is being said (used by John, including the baptism of Jesus)
Change what you are doing which is used when in context and action is meant.
IIf the author understood the underlying Greek meanings and implications, the
embarrassment issue disappears. Why then is this not pointed out?
30. Inferred attitude and observed behavior
The ancient Greek word
"μετάνοια" ≈ "afterthought" where the
"repent" comes from the
GNT (from the Latin).
This word has to do with
unobserved attitude and
not observed behavior.
The ancient Greek word
"μεταμέλεια" ≈ "change of purpose, regret, repentance" which is the modern idea of the Latin-based
"repent".
This word has to do with
observed behavior and
not inferred attitude.
Both words are used by Jesus in Matthew. If Jesus had intended to use modern meaning from Latin-based word
"repent", there was a Greek word to express that idea and it was
not used.
31. Red flags for detecting deceptions in subtle sermons
Here is a start at some
red flags in sermons that require further investigation. There is a saying, "
where there is smoke there is fire". There is not always a fire, but when smoke is observed, better check if there is a fire. Some sermons will be blowing smoke. Better check those out.
Why is a theologian quoted? Why not use a verse from the Bible that expresses the same view?
Why is a modern definition provided for a word in a Bible verse? The definition needed is the one when the original word was used, not the definition that probably has changed over time.
A skipped verse is a red flag. Check the skipped verses. Better yet, at least check the verses before and after the verse used. This is called checking the context of the verse.
A selection of verses throughout the Bible is a red flag for cherry-picking. That is, selecting verses out of context to weave the desired view that may not be in line with the Bible.
Some pastors will tell a quick joke or make some humorous comment so that the audience laughs. This allows the pastor to move on without covering part of the verse that may not be in line with the pastor's political or social views.
32. Book: Philosophical Foundations for a Christian world view
Philosophical Foundations for a Christian world view
J. P. Moreland, William Lane Craig
Publisher : IVP Academic; Second Edition, Revised, Second (October 10, 2017)
Language : English
Hardcover : 708 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-0830851874
[opinion vs. belief]
33. Mediators
In causal theory, a mediator is something that appears as the cause from A to effect B.
... more to be added ...
34. Ladder of causation
The
ladder of
causation has three rungs.
3. top: counterfactual (think - why) [imagining, counter-factual reasoning]
2. middle: intervention (do - how)
1. bottom: association (see - what) [observe]
In developing models and languages for causation, Judea Pearl makes the point (reference needed) that in order to solve a problem (as computer scientists do), one needs both a model of the (general or specific) problem being solved and a language in which to talk about the problem and model. If there is no suitable language, one needs to create such a language. This is what Judea does in addressing issues in causation.
[mediators]
35. Human computer adaptations
User interfaces: At one time, computers were expensive (and limited in power) and people were (relatively) inexpensive.
1. Adapt the person to the computer. Example: command line interface. A command line interface can be easily automated (e.g., batch languages).
As time went on, computers were inexpensive (and had a lot more power) and people were (relatively) much more expensive. Visuals can be deceptive, not easily automated.
2. Adapt the computer to the person. Example: GUI (Graphical User Interface)
Bible analogy: Which is better? Explain.
1. Should people adapt to the Bible translation? That is, always translate "into" as "into" and let the person adapt to what "into" means in, say, Greek.
2. Should the Bible translation adapt to the person? That is, translators should decide on what they think the meaning of a word is and use an English word that means what they think the text means.
[useful psychology, Matthew 18 and into, John 1 and towards]
36. May 2025
37. Archived ideas
Ideas that appeared at one time in "
Idea Shorts" appear here.
38. End of page
Aristotle continues about "nature" as "truth" and "law" as "opinion".
Proverbs 21:12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. [kjv]
συνιει δικαιος καρδιας ασεβων και φαυλιζει ασεβεις εν κακοις [lxx]
A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness. [bs3]
Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. [kjv]
ος φρασσει τα ωτα του μη επακουσαι ασθενους και αυτος επικαλεσεται και ουκ εσται ο εισακουων [lxx]
