Aristotelian thinking yields only 'either/or's.
Backstory
The 'be' verb (more properly, copula) has two forms, positive and negative, artificially separating everything into binary divisions and prescribing some unchanging 'essence' to every 'thing' (noun, for example). People argue and even go to war over what some 'thing' (or situation) 'is' or 'isn't'--essentially what we label that as. Various semanticists have created other systems that include the imperative and ubiquitous gray zone, the world of maybes and overlapping linguistic 'truths'. A favorite writer of mine (Bob Wilson) preferred the label 'maybe logic'.Basically, whenever something 'is' multiple, seemingly contradictory but nonetheless true 'things' (labels), then the binary, Aristotelean division simply doesn't work. Always look for a better model (as physicists and other scientists do) to include more of the data and remove more of the bias. At very least, be aware of the semantic trappings and pitfalls of your own language.
by illuminatrix in Six-Word Memoirs on Jan 29, 2013 | 
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Comments
wackjob says,
Which is a roundabout way of saying what?illuminatrix says,
Roundabout? I dare you to say precisely that in fewer words. It's less a roundabout way of saying something simple (actually, not at all, I was going more for weighty and meaningful than simple and pithy), and rather an organized and efficient route through rush hour traffic to a specific destination. I could be wrong though. I am sometimes accused of verbal diarrhea. I would rather see my curse as a blessing, however. Label it and everything else in a way that affords more good things in my life, rather than simply following the rules upon rules (be they grammatical or legislative) and being as constrained by them as a body by manacles. Which, if I had to pick a single sentence to sum it all up, it would probably be the one preceding this one.