Saying chimps should be used “only when there is no other option” is the same as saying chimps should never be used. There are always other options.
No, it isn’t the same. The meaning that is expressed by the authors and understood by most of their intended audience obviously includes a certain level of ‘not entirely unrealistic or impractical’ in what it takes to qualify as an ‘option’. The authors are not entirely stupid and are clearly expressing something different to ‘should never be used’ when making that assertion.
The meaning that is expressed by the authors and understood by most of their intended audience obviously includes a certain level of ‘not entirely unrealistic or impractical’ in what it takes to qualify as an ‘option’.
The problem is that everybody has a different idea of what that level should be. Thus the authors are effectively relying on the illusion of transparency to make their proposal sound more reasonable then it is.
You would hope so—but I think you would be wrong. Even if the authors intend that, and even if most of their readers understand that at the moment they read it, in practice people regularly go off and re-interpret those words de dicto when applying them.
No, it isn’t the same. The meaning that is expressed by the authors and understood by most of their intended audience obviously includes a certain level of ‘not entirely unrealistic or impractical’ in what it takes to qualify as an ‘option’. The authors are not entirely stupid and are clearly expressing something different to ‘should never be used’ when making that assertion.
The problem is that everybody has a different idea of what that level should be. Thus the authors are effectively relying on the illusion of transparency to make their proposal sound more reasonable then it is.
I think I agree with that much.
You would hope so—but I think you would be wrong. Even if the authors intend that, and even if most of their readers understand that at the moment they read it, in practice people regularly go off and re-interpret those words de dicto when applying them.