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SweetFreedom Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Deducted by logic, without observed facts

When asked to explain the meaning of a priori, I reply:

Deducted by logic, without observed facts.

The standard answer is:

derived by logic, without observed facts.

I argued that when the word "deduct" is collocated with "by logic", it means "reason by deduction", so "deducted by logic" is an equivalent to "derived by logic". Thus my explanation works.

I wonder whether the expression "Deducted by logic, without observed facts" sounds natural in English.
  

Top answer

It doesn't.

  • It doesn't.
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2 Answers
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SweetFreedomI wonder whether the expression "Deducted by logic, without observed facts" sounds natural in English.
No. You may be confusing two verbs.

To deduct is to subtract. If you deduct $6 from $10, you get $4.

The main definition in Merriam-Webster on-line is

deduct : to take away (somethin

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