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Questions about the Greek of the New Testament

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
1) REGARDING THE USE OF THE WORD SPECULATE
Clear said : "To speculate is to "form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence".
When you form an opinion with little firm "evidence" this is speculation and it is not a moral accusation

Subduction Zone replied : "And then that raises the question: What are your qualifications?
What do you base that claim upon? "

Clear replied : “My qualification is that I am an educated english speaker who can look up the meaning of "speculate" in a dictionary.”
Subduction Zone replied : “Sorry, but you keep using terms improperly”

Can you provide evidence as to why the english dictionary gives false meaning and useage of the word “speculate” and your meaning is to be preferred?


2) REGARDING THE CLAIM THAT ONE IS REJECTING EVIDENCE BY USING THE WORD "SPECULATE"

Subduction Zone said : "It appears that you are rejecting the evidence that exists without valid reasons. Denial does not work in debate. If one only has denial it is rather clear who is in the wrong to observers."
Clear replied : Actually, you appear to be the one denying the evidence.
I gave you two dictionary meanings for "speculate".
This is evidence regarding the actual meaning of the word.
Why are you denying the evidence of the usage of the word in this context?
Do you have a dictionary meaning that supports your claim in this context?

Subduction replied : “No, it appears that you abused the dictionary. I did not see any links.”

Definition of speculate | Dictionary.com
None of the definitions support your claim that to speculate is a “personal attack”.
Do you have a dictionary meaning that supports your claim in this context?



3) REGARDING THE CLAIM THAT THE WORD "SPECULATE" IS A "PERSONAL ATTACK"

Subduction Zone said : "And no, it is far from petty to point out that using the word "speculation" is a personal attack by those that use it."
Clear replied : “Of course it is both silly and petty (and a bizarre conclusion) to say that the term "speculate" or "speculation" is an attack on that person.
If a weatherman speculates about the weather, this is no personal attack.
Why would a speculation about what car will win a race be a personal attack?
When the historian DeVaux examined the Qumran ruins, he speculated that one of the rooms was a "scriptorium". Why would the use of the word "speculated" be a personal attack on DeVaux?

Subduction Zone said : “Sorry, but it is. It is only used to denigrate a work…

You did not answer a single question I asked.
Perhaps on another planet having another dictionary but on the planet most people here live on it has a dictionary meaning that is not a term that is “a personal attack” or “a term used to denigrate a work…”
As per your complaint, I do not see you offering readers a dictionary definition or your link to support your claim.


4) REGARDING THE THEORY THAT ONE SHOULD NOT USE THE TERM "SPECULATE" AND WE SHOULD "AVOID THAT TERM"

Subduction Zone claimed : "You are taking on a burden of proof when you say that and it is best to avoid that term. That you want to use a slur and not support it also is not a good indicator when a person does so."
Clear replied : "a dictionary definition of a speculator is :
1) a person who invests in stocks, property, or other ventures in the hope of making a profit.
2) a person who forms a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence.
I both speculate in ventures and speculate that you cannot tell us with any specificity who wrote the book of Genesis. I am neither offering a personal attack on myself or you. I am simply stating an opinion.

Subduction Zone : “Right now I have been merely stating facts that you should know, but if you want support for any of my claims simply ask.”


I would ask for support, but I think your claim that the word “speculate” means “a personal attack” was never going to be a claim you were going to support by any dictionary or any other objective data and it still feels quote silly and petty and unworthy of spending time on.
You don’t have support for your claim and I don’t have the interest in why you want to argue about why you think the word “speculation” is a personal attack.
Do you want me to mail you a fence post?


Clear
ειτωτζακω
Can you try again without ll of the excessive green ink? Lean how to use the quote functions correctly or deal with one of your errors at a time.

Green ink - RationalWiki
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Hi Subduction zone

No, if you cannot read letters in blue and red, I cannot help you.
I am quiting work now and going home.
Can you be so kind as to carry on the debate regarding your claim about the word "speculate" without me?
Thank you so much.

Clear
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Hi Subduction zone

No, if you cannot read letters in blue and red, I cannot help you.
I am quiting work now and going home.
Can you be so kind as to carry on the debate regarding your claim about the word "speculate" without me?
Thank you so much.

Clear
I can read them, but you are all over the place. And I provided a link for you so that you would know what Green Ink is. There is no debate about speculate. You used the word improperly as an attempt to attack and could not defend that flawed use of the word.
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Readers :

The problem with simply making up new, arbitrary definitions for words (like "speculation")

One problem with leaving logic and rational thought and the sense of what the words mean to common people (i.e. "common sense") and accepted dictionary definitions is partly that our very conversations and discussions themselves will become increasingly illogical and irrational and increasingly petty and irrelevant if we simply "make up" definitions.

Regardless of whether one assigns a definition to a word from a dictionary or common usage, or one creates an arbitrary definition from another planet, that sort of petty argument will not change the more important historical principles. In this case, regardless of the definition of the word "speculation", one still cannot determine, with any accuracy who wrote any of the ancient texts in either the old or new testament without more and better data.

Clear
ειφιφιφυω
 
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