DrWatson · 70-79, M
I read some a long time ago, but I don't remember much.
I do remember the essay that ended, "All generalizations are loose and imperfect." Sometimes people misquote it by adding on "including this one", but he did not write that.
I remember reading that in high school and thinking, "Well, if all generalizations are loose and imperfect, and if this sentence is a generalization, does that mean it is loose and imperfect? Then some generalizations are fine. Is this one fine? Then it must be loose and imperfect....."
I was hoping that we would discuss this in class, but the teacher had no interest in going in that direction. She used it to reinforce what she taught about writing essays: do not make generalizations without giving evidence. That's all it meant to her.
I do remember the essay that ended, "All generalizations are loose and imperfect." Sometimes people misquote it by adding on "including this one", but he did not write that.
I remember reading that in high school and thinking, "Well, if all generalizations are loose and imperfect, and if this sentence is a generalization, does that mean it is loose and imperfect? Then some generalizations are fine. Is this one fine? Then it must be loose and imperfect....."
I was hoping that we would discuss this in class, but the teacher had no interest in going in that direction. She used it to reinforce what she taught about writing essays: do not make generalizations without giving evidence. That's all it meant to her.
HumanEarth · F
Not I