Kerim Aydin wrote:
> I'm puzzled by the disclaimers issue.
>If you disclaim an action (those of you who claim that action statements
>can be false) wouldn't the disclaimer always cause it to fail? You can't
>have it both ways!
I discussed this in an earlier post. A total disclaimer ("Any statements
made in this message might be false.") certainly should disqualify a
statement from operating as an action, because it means that the action
hasn't actually been announced. Likewise, such a disclaimer would
deprive an official report of validity, so that it wouldn't satisfy the
obligation to publish.
A qualified disclaimer is a different matter. "This attempted action
might fail.", for example, indicates that the action statement might
be false due to impossibility of the action, but does not disclaim
any other reason for it to be false. Combining it logically with the
action statement, it is effectively a synonym for the qualifier "If
it is possible to do so,". We do allow these, and they mean that the
action occurs if it is possible. I think the qualifier is better style
than the disclaimer.
-zefram
