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"can't" in that context is itself a metaphor for "you should not because of the obvious consequences".
by devwastaken 3y ago
"can't" in that context is itself a metaphor for "you should not because of the obvious consequences".
- rtpg 3y agoYeah there's definitely a deeper argument there, but I think it still falls into a similar category of ignoring context in many cases. The "can't" variants often imply that it would cross the Rubicon on some issue. My contention is that usually, the supposed Rubibon has already been crossed ages (often centuries!) ago. Of course "crossing the Rubicon" itself is a social construct, so at least those arguments can warp reality enough to become self-fulfilling. If everyone is convinced that something is impossible, it becomes very hard to argue that doing it is reasonable. EDIT: and to be clear, I am not looking to litigate the illegal number issue. I've heard the arguments, this isn't a question of ignorance. It's a question of having different base axioms. I reserve my right to be extremely wrong on this issue to prove a point in an internet discussion