The phrase "two plus two equals five" ("2 + 2 = 5") is a slogan used in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four as an example of an obviously false dogma one must believe, similar to other obviously false slogans by the Party in the novel. It is contrasted with the phrase "two plus two makes four", the obvious—but politically inexpedient—truth. Orwell's protagonist, Winston Smith, uses the phrase to wonder if the State might declare "two plus two equals five" as a fact; he ponders whether, if everybody believes it, does that make it true? Smith writes, "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." Later in the novel, Smith attempts to use doublethink to teach himself that the statement "2 + 2 = 5" is true, or at least as true as any other answer one could come up with.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
 |
By *waymanMan
over a year ago
newcastle |
"I'm sure 2 plus 2 equals 5
convince me i'm wrong"
In your previously empty left hand place two marbles.
Now place two more marbles in your left hand without displacing the two marbles already there.
How many marbles do you now have in your left hand?
Empirically, the answer is 4. Therefore, in this case, two plus two equals four. It is also the general case that two plus two equals four, although there may be cases where two plus two does not equal four if the original statement is not entirely accurate.
There are also other cases where two plus two may not equal four. Arthur C Clarke used to say 'if you have two kilos of uranium 238 in your left hand, and the same in your right hand, bringing them together does not give you four kilos of Uranium 238 but a bloody big hole on the grouns....'
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm sure 2 plus 2 equals 5
convince me i'm wrong
Convince me you are right?  "
Right or wrong, it depends on your definition of 2. Or perhaps easier to understand, two what, + two what?
For the equation to be correct it would have to be two; one and a quarters plus two one and a quarters equals five!
But I'm only guessing.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"I'm sure 2 plus 2 equals 5
convince me i'm wrong
In your previously empty left hand place two marbles.
Now place two more marbles in your left hand without displacing the two marbles already there.
How many marbles do you now have in your left hand?
Empirically, the answer is 4. Therefore, in this case, two plus two equals four. It is also the general case that two plus two equals four, although there may be cases where two plus two does not equal four if the original statement is not entirely accurate.
There are also other cases where two plus two may not equal four. Arthur C Clarke used to say 'if you have two kilos of uranium 238 in your left hand, and the same in your right hand, bringing them together does not give you four kilos of Uranium 238 but a bloody big hole on the grouns....'
"
lol |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
» Add a new message to this topic
Wolf
