Re: [Phys-l] About the "why" and "how questins."

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

Oh but we do have language police!  Every instructor tries to get students
to use correct language according to their field.  The original Webster's
dictionary was prescriptive and actually defined a log of American usage as
different from British.  It is just that language police are local and the
offenses are different with different retributions.

We don't have governmental national language police, unlike the French.  But
one writer has lamented we are slipping in status as a nation and will end
up more like the French.  So we will have better food, more vacation, longer
lives, better health care, and maybe even language police.

But I do think that we all understand the distinction that is being made
between how and why in the context of the specific quote.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> What a coincidence! On a website for philosophers someone wrote, today:
>
> " ... Science and religion are two sides of the same coin in regards
> to truth; science is attempting to answer "how" and religion is
> attempting to answer "why".  Neither has, nor will probably ever, have
> a complete answer. ... "  Repluing to this I wrote:
>
> " Unfortunately, the words "why" and "how" are in our languages. They
> are used by all people, including deists and scientists. The "why do
> we have solar eclipses?" is a scientific question, according to most
> people. The same is true for the "how do we cure malaria?," "how to
> build an atom bomb,?  etc.  Deistic questions can also be asked by
> using the "why" and "how" words. Do we need a language police? "