Originally posted by DoctorScribblesNevertheless, the reference does not say it is WRONG to use while to mean although. It is this ambiguity in the above statement that gives it humour.
It is a coordinating conjuction as used by the monk.
Refer to this: http://grammar.uoregon.edu/conjunctions/coordinating.html
"While is a coordinating conjunction when its meaning is during the time that or throughout the time that."
This reference suggests that the monk should have used "although" if he intended subordination. But the ...[text shortened]... d from it, other than that some people have no qualms about abusing language when it suits them.
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Originally posted by DoctorScribblesGet a sense of humour, mate. Almost all verbal humour (as opposed to situational humour) depends on some ambiguity in words and meaning. You don't have to fight us Christians on everything, you know.
The entirety of the humor is based on an abuse of language. It's nonsense and there's nothing to be learned from it, other than that some people have no qualms about abusing language when it suits them.
Originally posted by lucifershammerYou don't need a 'temporal logic' (whatever that means, exactly), in order to represent the logical structure of the two original claims. All you need to do is make explicit the equivocation between two different senses of the terms 'praying' and 'smoking'.
"X is a prime number."
Does this proposition have a well-defined truth value? According to you - no, because it does not have a fixed truth table.
Now combine it with the statement "X = 3". See what I mean?
In order to create a truth table for WHILE (which, incidentally, is not a conjunction like AND/OR/NOR - but starts off a subordinate ...[text shortened]... ot imply that one cannot determine the truth of the superior's statement in this given context.