From: ed@somewhere.in.the.uk   
      
   Richmond wrote:   
   > Ed Cryer  writes:   
   >   
   >> Richmond wrote:   
   >>> If something is fundamental, then it ought to be understood by everyone   
   >>> (present).   
   >>   
   >> How so? There appears to be no logical or linguistic connection   
   >> between "fundamental" and "understood by everyone (present)".   
   >>   
   >> Ed   
   >   
   > Because if it is not understood by everyone it is too complicated to be   
   > fundamental.   
      
   That's very unphilosophical.   
   The best I can make of it is that you're using "fundamental" where I'd   
   use "axiomatic".   
      
   Language isn't like Euclidean geometry, which is founded on a few   
   postulates from which everything follows inevitably.   
   Language isn't an axiom system.   
   Look up "Hume's Fork".   
      
   Ed   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)