Politics, Mathematics, and Wiggle Words
In mathematics, placing additional constraints on the premise of an
if-then statement greatly restricts its application. In politics, those
additional constraints are sometimes referred to as "wiggle words". An
actual example from
Accuracy In Media is shown below.
| Mathematical Statement With No Additional Clauses |
The Politics Equivalent With No "Wiggle Words" Added |
If x is a real number, then I can find a
solution to the equation
x2+3x+2=0.The solutions of x2+3x+2=0 are x=-1
and x=-2. Since both x=-1 and x=-2 are real numbers, this
if-then statement is true. |
"If you vote for me and I am asked to
approve stem-cell research on human embryos, then I will oppose
Federal funding." If Federal funding is allowed for any type of
stem-cell research, this promise would be broken. |
Now, let's add the "wiggle words" and additional clauses.
| Mathematical Statement With Additional Clauses |
The Politics Equivalent With "Wiggle Words" Added |
If x is a real number and x > 0, then I
can not find a solution to the equation
x2+3x+2=0.The additional clause "x>0" is added. Again,
the solutions of x2+3x+2=0 are x=-1 and x=-2. If I
claim that there is no solution, I am not making a false claim since
only negative values of x solve the equation and the premise (if-part)
requires the use of positive value of x.
|
"If you vote for me and I am asked to
approve stem-cell research on human embryos, and the research involves
destroying living human embryos, then I will oppose Federal funding."
Note the addition of the word living. So funds could be
approved for use on cells that had been obtained from a previously
destroyed embryo without breaking the original campaign promise. |
Here is another example from
kansaseducation.wordpress.com.
In July the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S.
Education Department, undermined this national effort. A report on
expenditures for public elementary and secondary education for the 2003-04
school year contained this finding: “The percentage of current
expenditures spent on instruction and instruction-related activities
was 66.1 percent in 2003-04 for the nation as a whole” (emphasis added).
Seasoned students of government verbiage noted the suspiciously vague
phrase “instruction-related activities.”
In reality 66.1 percent of education dollars already reach the
classroom. If the “instruction-related” criterion is not added, the
percentage of dollars devoted to instruction has declined for five
consecutive years, to 61.3%.
|
