Someone

Question

"I employ the term 'dogmatist' in the sense in which S. uses dogmatikos, namely, to designate someone who makes positive or negative assertions about the nature of things, on the basis of what they/he/the person consider/considers to be evidence and reasoned arguments and doctrines."

Which option should I use to refer back to "someone"?

Thanks

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi Sextus,

How about using 'one'?

ie "I employ the term 'dogmatist' in the sense in which S. uses dogmatikos, namely, to designate one who makes positive or negative assertions about the nature of things, on the basis of what one considers to be evidence and reasoned arguments and doctrines."

Do you feel you need the comma after 'things'? Perhaps a comma after 'evidence' rather than 'and'?

Is the term 'dogmatist' compatible with one who is influenced by doctrines?

Clive

Sextus · Answer

Hi Clive, thanks for the answers.

"I employ the term 'dogmatist' in the sense in which S. uses dogmatikos, namely, to designate one who makes positive or negative assertions about the nature of things, on the basis of what one considers to be evidence and reasoned arguments and doctrines."

This may work, but I'm not completely sure that it's clear enough. In any case "he" and "they" may be used to refer to someone whose gender is not known. But I know there are people who dislike both usages.

Do you feel you need the comma after 'things'? Perhaps a comma after 'evidence' rather than 'and'?

Yes, I should remove that comma. Regarding "and", the point is that "reasoned" goes with both "arguments" and "doctrines."

Is the term 'dogmatist' compatible with one who is influenced by doctrines?

Yes, in its technical usage.

Cheers, Sextus

Milky · Answer

Sextus"I employ the term 'dogmatist' in the sense in which S. uses dogmatikos, namely, to designate someone who makes positive or negative assertions about the nature of things, on the basis of what they/he/the person consider/considers to be evidence and reasoned arguments and doctrines."

Which option should I use to refer back to "someone"?

Thanks

Commonly, academic texts use "he".

Sextus · Answer

Perhaps the best solution is to say "he or she", so no one will find it offensive (mostly feminists).

MrPedantic · Answer

I don't think you can win with this one.

If you use "they", people who think they know about grammar will object. If you use "he", people who think they know about feminism will object. If you use "he or she", people who think they know about style will object.

Maybe: "...to designate those who...", followed by "they".

MrP

Sextus · Answer

Thanks P.

The problem is that dogmatikos is singular, so it sounds weird to me to say "those who". I think I'll stick to "he". Even if I hate feminists, I don't think this usage may be taken as evidence.

Nona the brit · Answer

resisting the urge....resisting the urge.....<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/12.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/12.gif' alt='Emotion: angry'/>

Sextus · Answer

Thanks for resisting (I know it must be hard... you're in your 40s).

Anyway, what do you think about the query of this thread, Nona? I mean, does it sound offensive to use "he"?

Nona the brit · Answer

Sextus, sighyou are lucky I'm in a calm mood this morning!

Anyway, like someone said, you'll be hung whichever option you go for. He and she sounds clumsy. He is exclusive language. They is considered ungrammatical by some.

Personally, I'd go for they as I don't like the use of he to mean all people. I'm not a he. Nor are 50% of the world. To me it is no more acceptable to use he to mean both men and women, than to use she in the same circumstance. I think a neutral approach is simply better manners.

On the other hand I wouldn't go so far as to say it would offend me in this context. (After all, it sounds like you are insulting dogmatics and I don't object to be excluded from that.

.) Really, I just don't think it is important here.

Where I object to 'he' being used is where it shows an assumption that men or women are normally restricted by certain roles, behaviours or beliefs and it creates what I consider to be an unrealistic and unfair influence on people. For example, I think a book for children on careers should make sure it doesn't automatically label all nurses 'she' and all doctors 'he'.

Sextus · Answer

I should perhaps say that I don't really pay attention to whether I must say "he" or "he/she", and so on. I spontaneously tend to use "he" as a neutral pronoun. But in this case I was reading the proofs of a paper and noticed that the editor had edited the sentence in a way I didn't like. Sometimes I notice in papers that the authors say "the Skeptic .... she" and a then a few lines later "the Skeptic .... he", in order to show impartiality or politeness or some other virtue. Besides being, in this specific case, historically inaccurate, I find this usage stupid and pointless. Really... does this kind of usage reveal one's attitude towards certain issues? I find both feminism and machismo extremely pathetic and don't think that my usage of "he" as a neutral pronoun has anything to do with them.

I do understand the situations you mention, Nona, and what I've just expressed is not addressed to you, of course.

Thanks for your answer.

Someone

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