This thread does not exist :)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: mousethief
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 12:27 PM

Bill D., don't ruin everything by being over-pedantic.

Or is that redundant?

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: LR Mole
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:23 PM

If this thread didn't exist I couldn't be writing on it, and here I am(something I've already written). On the other hand, I just hit the wrong button and DID cease to exist.So here I am again unless I hit another button and send this and the other thing I wrote and lost, in which case I exist twice. Except in Florida.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:58 PM

I am a pigment of my hallucination...

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 02:20 PM

mousethief...AM I overpedantic?(wondering if there is a corollary 'underpedantic') *raising one eyebrow and peering suspiciously*....maybe I'm just the 3rd little pig who built his house of brick. I can joke and frolic with the best of 'em, and love cute, clever reparteé (though I ain't as fast at it as some...or even as I once was)...but now & then, I see something that seems to cry out for sense and explication.

Gee, I always assumed that those who just wanna play would ignore my turgid, boring attempts at 'arrant pedantry'....but I guess there are just some who up with it will not put...

,,,really, I'll try to do better.. and make a belated resolution to post at least one bit of gratuitous frippery every day...*evil grin*

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: mousethief
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 02:24 PM

243. "This thread does not exist," someone proclaims, as if this means something. Here "means something" is taken to mean, "has a truth relationship with an externally existing reality."

244. Imagine a game in which children pretend to be either a famous historical character, or an equally famous fictional character. In this game, the child who is "it" might ask, "Do you exist?" and the child pretending to be a fictional character might say, "No, I do not exist." Is he telling the truth? What does he mean when he says this?

245. In this game, imagine now that not only people but things can be "played" by the children. One of the things that might be "played" could be a thread in an online discussion forum.

246. When I say, "I do not exist," while playing a thread, can another child point to me, and say, "This thread does not exist?"

247. Are self-referential sentences meaningful? Is this one?

248. Further imagine that the children decide to stop playing this game in order to have lunch. But the child who is "it" has not yet guessed the identity of the child who is playing a nonexistent thread, and they agree to pick up after lunch right where they left off. Can the latter child then say, "I used to not exist, and I will not exist again after lunch, but for now I don't not exist"?

249. When words are meaningless, it is wise to be silent.

(from Philosophical Investigations: The Missing Chapters by L. Wittgenstein)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: LR Mole
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 02:36 PM

I am a piglet of someone's inauguration.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bardford
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 02:41 PM

I was tipping a few with Rene Descartes. My glass was nearly empty. I said " I think I'll have another pint, Rene, how about you?"
He said "I think not," and disappeared.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 02:43 PM

Are you saying that George W. Bush is a pig?

- LH

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Greyeyes
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 03:35 PM

I'm sure everyone's familiar with these, but what the hell:

There was once a man who said "God
Must think it exceedingly odd
If he finds that this tree
Still continues to be
When there's no one about in the Quad."

(Monsignor Ronald Knox)

This was swiftly replied to thus:

Dear Sir, Your astonishment's odd:
I'm always about in the Quad.
And that's why the tree
Will continue to be,
Since observed by Yours Faithfully, God.

(Anon.)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 03:41 PM

I was walking down the street, when I thought I saw my friend on the other side of the road.

He thought he saw me.

We both crossed over, and guess what?!

It was neither of us!!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 03:46 PM

I'll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 03:50 PM

Tractatus Fuselagico-Umbilicus

by

Louis Witteringswine

1.	The world is full of stuff.
	Die Welt is voller Zeug.
2.	Stuff comes in different shapes and sizes.
	Zeug gibt es in verschiedenen Groessen und Formen.
3.	Whacking great chunks of stuff are put together from itty bits of stuff. Itty bits come in different shapes and sizes.
	Motzegrosse Klumpen von Zeug werden von Minizeugs zusammengeklumpt. Minizeugs gibt es in verschiedenen Groessen und Formen.
4.	A whacking great proposition about a whacking great chunk put together from itty bits of stuff is put together from itty bits of propositions and is the correlate of a whacking great idea for a whacking great proposition about a whacking great chunk put together from itty bits of stuff put together from itty bits of propositions put together from itty bits of ideas.
	Seltsamer Zufall, dass alle die Menschen, deren Schaedel man geoeffnet hat, ein Gehirn hatten.
4.1	Nobody ever saw an itty bit.
	Keiner hat je ein Minizeug gesehen.
4.2	Everything comes in different shapes and sizes.
	Alles gibt es in verschiedenen Groessen und Formen.
4.3	The present King of France isn't stuffy.
	Der Koenig von Frankreich hat nicht das Zeug dazu.
4.31	(Psychology is really just a lot of crap.)
	(Die Psychologie ist in Wirklichkeit nur dummes Zeug.)
5	2 B V 0 2 B: that is the question.
	2 B V 0 2 B: das ist hier die Frage.
5.1	Logic is whacking great.
	Die Logik ist voll geil.
6.	A wet bird does not fly at night. (This is the meaning of life.)
	Ein nasser Vogel fliegt nicht bei Nacht. (Das ist der Sinn des Lebens.)
7.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Morticia
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 04:21 PM

Bill, may I borrow that to send to my daughter....a philosophy and psychology student *BG*.....she'll love it!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 04:51 PM

Morticia...I stole it..you steal it..*grin*

it came from this web page ..which is loading slowly, so I copied it rather than post the link...(if you 'view source' you can copy the HTML)..there is a page 2 also...and I think my original source was this page

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Catrin
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:31 PM

Half way up the stairs is a place where I sit
There isn't any other place quite like it
It's not at the bottom
It's not at the top
It just is the place where I always stop

Half way up the stairs isn't up and isn't down
It isn't in the nursery, it isn't in the town
All sorts of funny thoughts run through my head
It isn't really anywhere - It's somewhere else instead!

AA Milne

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:42 PM

I bought some of that invisible thread to mend my trousers. Now I can't see it anywhere.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:48 PM

I can't find my camouflage net! (Les Barker)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Rizla the Green
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:57 PM

If all you say is true

Mudcat does not exist, because I have never heard it

Therefore all the songs listed in D.T. have not been written(BR>

Does anyone want to buy several thousand original songs copyright free

Must be some money to be made here.

Robin

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 06:46 PM

If we all don't exist in the same place and at the same time does that not give us some validity in the fact that we all dont exist together.

Did I just write that load of pooh?

Spot.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: hesperis
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 07:10 PM

Maybe you poohed it, spot. (or "pooh poohed" it? Whatever.)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: CarolC
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 11:58 AM

Define "exist"...

(I think therefore I think I am.)

P.S. I'm not really here... wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more, say no more...

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 11:59 AM

I'm not here...this isn't happening...

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: mousethief
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 12:00 PM

Exist is what things that are, do.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: CarolC
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 12:16 PM

Well then, mousethief, now I need you to define "things", "are", and "do".

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bert
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 12:23 PM

If it doesn't exist then what is THIS

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Pseudolus
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 12:35 PM

It just took me 10 minutes to read something that wasn't there. Can you imagine how long it will take to read something that IS there? why am I asking you? None of you exist. Please keep responses short. The time I have available to read non-existent posts is non-existent.

Frank

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:20 PM

LET THERE BE LIGHT!!

oh shit, now look what I've started.

God

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: mousethief
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:22 PM

Bert, it looks like a clicky.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Morticia
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:25 PM

I'd say thank you Bill, but as you couldn't have posted to a non-existant thread and therefore I couldn't have read it, I couldn't ( ergo and ipso fatso) have copied it and sent it on.....so I won't, or didn't or will not....my head aches!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Greyeyes
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:34 PM

I think I think, therefore I might be.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:48 PM

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bert
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 02:01 PM

Ah Alex, but which came first, the clicky or the thread?

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: mousethief
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 02:02 PM

Obviously the clicky, since the thread doesn't exist! There! I've run rings around you logically! :)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Catrin
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 02:06 PM

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bert
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 02:10 PM

If the clicky points to a thread that doesn't exist, it raises the question "Does the clicky exist?" If it does exist and it points to the thread, then surely the thread must exist. If it doesn't exist, then you can't click on it, therefore you can't know whether or not it points to the thread which doesn't exist or not.

See, my logic is just as logical as your logic, therefore the rings don't exist so you can't run around them. SO THERE!!! ;-)

Bert.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: mousethief
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 02:24 PM

UNCLE!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Pseudolus
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 03:22 PM

But does your uncle really exist?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Frank

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 09:05 PM

Okay, Hesperis, you started this. Now I want you to PROVE THAT THIS THREAD DOESN'T EXIST!!! Hah! Whatcha gonna do now, smarty??? :-D

- LH

p.s. That hamster does not exist! (Hee hee hee!)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 09:39 PM

boy, if I was an joeclone elf, this would be a perfect time simply delete ALL the posts and watch...*giggle*

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: MMario
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 09:52 PM

Psuedolus - it obviously takes longer to read something that isn't there then it actually does to read something that is there. This is because the quantum flux of the probability and improbibility particles in the non-existant vibrate at a rate that is incompatible with both vision and electonic transmission of the information. However, you will be glad to know that all non-existant threads are archived in the Library of Unseen University in Ankh-Morpork; where for the mere bribe fee of a banana or two the Librarian will allow you to peruse them at your leisure.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Burke
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 09:56 PM

If no one responds to your flame in a flame thread, does that mean you didn't flame? Or just that you're no good as a flamer?

Oo! Another discworld fan!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 09:58 PM

it's true...I been there and saw 'em!....(well, I saw the vault where they keep 'em.....the librarian said they were sort of hidden behind the Emperor's new clothes)

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: hesperis
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 10:43 PM

OOOOOoooohhhh! Terry Pratchett RULEZ!

Hawk, since you're the person who thought of this thread, why don't you answer that question?

Oh yeah, wait. This thread does not exist, therefore that question did not exist, therefore I don't have to answer it! HA!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: hesperis
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 10:47 PM

PS: Hamsters always exist, except when they don't.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: hesperis
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 10:49 PM

PPS: So there!

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: SeanM
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 10:50 PM

Everything is true in one sense, false in one sense, meaningless in one sense, true and meaningless in one sense, false and meaningless in one sense, true and false in one sense, true and false and meaningless in one sense.

In which sense, since this is a thread that we can't sense, in any sense it can only be described by the word 'puce'

M

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: SeanM
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 10:52 PM

And to Discworld... I can only add one thing...

Pull the other one, mate. It's got bells on it.

OOOK!

M

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: GUEST,bflat
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 11:05 PM

Rod Sterling just called. Guess what he had to say?

Ellen

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Burke
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 11:08 PM

Do, do, do, do. Do, do, do, do.

Subject: RE: This thread does not exist :)
From: Rollo
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 11:13 PM

When this thread doesn't exist, my statement won't exist, too, right? And all the other comments above do also not exist?

Too sad. I just thought I had a good laugh while just reading some posts. But in reality I must have had some boring time while staring onto the monitor.