(urth) Shapeshifting Evidence and Principles

[thalassocrat at nym.hush.com]

On Mon, 29 May 2006 08:20:48 +1000 b sharp 
<bsharporflat at hotmail.com> wrote:
>So..take a look at this picture:
>
>http://www.valerio.net/pictures/image_2_996.jpg
>
>What are your first thoughts? Mine are, "okay, a ring" and "where 
>is the 
>jewel?".  Now to me, Roy and mournings glory stop with, "okay a 
>ring".
>
>If I say "where is the jewel?" they say a ring doesn't need a 
>jewel.  I say 
>but "there is a jewel missing!"  They say "we have no reason to 
>think that.  
>A ring is a round piece of metal that goes around your finger and 
>looks 
>pretty.  This object is a ring, it has all the attributes of a 
>ring, end of 
>story, no jewel needed."  "But there is an empty space...never 
>mind, let me 
>look around".

I don't think that's the real dichotomy. Better: "Here's a nice 
shiny jewel - let's shove it in the ring!" vs "But it doesn't fit, 
and if you scratch it, it flakes. Let's find a real gem that fits."