What if the glass isn't exactly half full?
 

Suppose the glass is 1/3 full.

You can legitimately call that half empty, because over half of it is empty, but if you called it half full, you'd be exaggerating.

Equally, what if the glass is 2/3 full?

Then, if you called it half empty, you'd be telling porkies, but if you said it was half full you'd be telling a half truth at worst.

No you would have to say its over half empty or something similar for that first analogy. Saying its half empty is an exact description not an estimate.

One solution is to say that you just need to bring in comparison operators. Saying that its "at least half empty" then encompasses the instance of being "1/3 full".

Another way of looking at is the glass is always completely full, half with water and half with air. (Half full to the human eye, half empty from the perspective of air content.)

According to a linguist, the glass is half full, because the word 'full' and the word 'glass' are related in the same contextual meaning. A glass is primarily filled and not emptied, so if it contains water, we should be considering how filled with something and not emptied of something the glass is. In other words, the glass is a container and not a "emptier".

Finally you may wish to decide on full versus empty on the basis of its previous state. Hence if you are pouring a drink it is converging on the half fulls state from a previously empty state. if you are drinking the drink its converging on a half empty state from a previously full state.

There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!

Terry Pratchett, The Truth

Terry Pratchett
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...8-_440983a.jpg


The Archbishop of Canterbury
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Ironic innit.

My glass was half full, but some of the contents were incompatible with my glass, so they were taken away. Much of what I put into the glass dried up in the meantime. Later I was promised a tankard. However it's contents remain unknown and indeed can not be guaranteed until my present glass can function as well as other glasses.

The suppliers of the glass hope to turn it into a tankard for me, but as yet can not seem to get a handle on it.

I applause the spirit, Gents. Plenty of logic coupled with a touch of humor and some deep thoughts that make you go, hmm! :grin:

You used to work for the British Motorcycle Industry didn't you.

The glass needs a patch.

That actually works.

I just see water in a glass... if I'm thirsty, I'll drink it