Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Torrance
( buying a license or buying the item goes I think most people will see that as semantics)
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Most people, I've seen, do not appropriately invoke the word 'semantics' in discussions like this one.
Semantics is meaning. That's whole point. If you misunderstand the meaning of what you are asking for, how can you expect to get what you really want?
Quote:
"Please give me an apple."
"Here you go."
"You gave me the wrong thing, please give me an apple."
"Here you go again."
"No, I want those apples that come from Florida, have the thick peel with the navels, segments inside, and you squeeze them to get sweet citrus juice."
"Do you mean you want an orange?"
"Oh, now you're just just arguing semantics."
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Maybe if people understood the semantics of what they are asking for, they'd realize they are constantly asking for the wrong thing.
Dismissive replies along the lines of "Now you are just arguing semantics" applies when a discussion
inappropriately shifts from the real issue to the language used to describe the issue.
In this case, the terms ARE the issue. People incorrectly bring import and assumptions to the words "own" and "buy" which they simply don't have. They try to address the issue by merely FORCING incorrect semantics onto the issue, and therefore they are never making any arguments for the REAL issue, which is licensing terms and copyright law.
My argument is that people need to realize that mistake and
shift FROM the incorrect semantic arguments TO the real issue.
ApK