Really

unenlightened August 29, 2019 at 09:47 2750 views 11 comments

Is it really the case that any trite piece of verbal imagery becomes a legitimate topic with the addition of 'really'?

Rhetorical commands to do the math are not really commands to calculate.
Do rivers really have mouths?
Will anyone really hang themselves however much rope you give them?
Is reality really real? (Is realism really realistic?)

Your insights and contributions to realology are awaited with real bated breath. I'm already turning purple, so please hurry.

Comments (11)

Baden August 29, 2019 at 12:10 #321664 0 likes

Reply to unenlightened

It should really be restricted to expressing surprise, interest, or emphasis. It doesn't really make much difference in a sentence otherwise.

Hanover August 31, 2019 at 06:08 #322254 0 likes

Quoting Baden

It should really be restricted to expressing surprise, interest, or emphasis. It doesn't really make much difference in a sentence otherwise.

It can also be used to try to clarify if something really is true. If I said "'Really' means duck in French," you might say, "really"?, and I'd say, "no, not really."

T Clark September 01, 2019 at 17:05 #322745 0 likes

Quoting unenlightened

Your insights and contributions to realology are awaited with real bated breath. I'm already turning purple, so please hurry.

This is a serious attempt to address the issue you've raised. Well, no, I guess it's really not. Maybe semi-serious. Pseudo-serious? Quasi-serious? Quantum serious?

🔗 Media content

unenlightened September 01, 2019 at 18:55 #322770 0 likes

Reply to T Clark Really appreciate that. It's not ideal, but what can one expect?

Streetlight September 05, 2019 at 14:49 #324641 0 likes

You can blame Plato. He was the dolt that kept insisting upon what the Good the True and the Beautiful really were, in contrast to all the other stuff they apparently really weren't.

unenlightened September 07, 2019 at 09:56 #325464 0 likes

Quoting Terrapin Station

The whole issue with the "free" part is whether you really have different options or not. Whether you can really make a choice, including seemingly arbitrary choices.

I chose to quote this here, but did I really choose?

Terrapin Station September 07, 2019 at 11:14 #325482 0 likes

Quoting unenlightened

I chose to quote this here, but did I really choose?

In contexts such as you're quoting, it alludes to the appearance/reality, phenomena/noumena distinction.

For example, "Eureka! There's an oasis at the bottom of the next sand dune! . . . Oh crap, not really."

It's not a very useful distinction if you're not a realist. If you're not a realist, you have to say, "Crap there was an oasis there, but when I got closer, it popped out of existence."

unenlightened September 20, 2019 at 08:07 #331115 0 likes

Quoting Banno

since the quintessential metre is not a metre long, is the quintessential Hamlet, not actually Hamlet?

Are we talking real actuality here? or actual reality?

Banno September 20, 2019 at 13:28 #331262 0 likes

Reply to unenlightened @Terrapin Station says you are free to choose...

ArguingWAristotleTiff September 21, 2019 at 01:22 #331690 0 likes

Quoting unenlightened

I chose to quote this here, but did I really choose?

I am pretty sure you choose because I didn't.

Fine Doubter September 21, 2019 at 12:26 #331943 0 likes

Real it in quick, before it gets away!