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Re: Empiry, Quacks & Charlatans.



At 15:04 1/9/98 EST, Tom wrote:

... I love that word. Let me say it. Empiry. Empiry, empiry,
empiry. Now, it's part of me. (I must use it in a conversation sometime
today....


Perhaps it would be as well to refer to a U.S. source (The Century
is an excellent etymological reference) rather than slavishly
defer to Oxford:

"Empirical method or practice; esp., undue reliance on experience;
unscientific practice; quackery
(for empirical) ...without regard to science or theory, esp. in medical
practice; hence, unscientific; charlatanic."

New Century, Emery & Brewster eds., Appleton-Century-Crofts pub.

Beware Greeks bearing gifts :-)

The word is disused, Brian. I would even argue it has been abused.
It will be amphoteric in some respects, like "inflammable" and
others, but since it is not presently used in its archaic meaning
it will, like "inflammable" mean what it *usually* means.

Leigh