What some philosophical terms ought to mean (but don’t)
The following misdefinitions were submitted for Hugh Mellor’s “Uxbridge Dictionary of Philosophy”
A fortiori: There are at least 40 papers on this already
A posteriori: He is talking out of his arse
A priori: Someone already said that
Argumentum ad baculum: Back-stabbing
Ex post facto: The proof is in the mail
Contingent proposition: Unnecessary remark
Existential import: Cheap foreign philosophy
Gödel's Theorem: 'Every system of truths contains at least one that is misrepresented by popularisers'
Material conditional: A device for drawing material conclusions from immaterial premises
Propositional calculus: The science of pick-up lines
Sorites Paradox: 'Philosophers never lose enough hair to become bald'
Surprise Test Paradox: Students are never ready for the exam
Third Man Argument: I can't see what's wrong with this, but X can
______________
Anthony Gottlieb, 2009
A fortiori: There are at least 40 papers on this already
A posteriori: He is talking out of his arse
A priori: Someone already said that
Argumentum ad baculum: Back-stabbing
Ex post facto: The proof is in the mail
Contingent proposition: Unnecessary remark
Existential import: Cheap foreign philosophy
Gödel's Theorem: 'Every system of truths contains at least one that is misrepresented by popularisers'
Material conditional: A device for drawing material conclusions from immaterial premises
Propositional calculus: The science of pick-up lines
Sorites Paradox: 'Philosophers never lose enough hair to become bald'
Surprise Test Paradox: Students are never ready for the exam
Third Man Argument: I can't see what's wrong with this, but X can
______________
Anthony Gottlieb, 2009