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NL888 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
What does "be hung for a sheep as a lamb" mean?
Does it mean "be punished for making unforgivable mistakes"?
Context:
It is tempting to think (and many have succumbed) that to
postulate a plethora of universes is a profligate luxury which should
not be allowed. If we are going to permit the extravagance of a
multiverse, so the argument runs, we might as well be hung for
a sheep as a lamb and allow a God. Aren't they both equally un-
parsimonious ad hoc hypotheses, and equally unsatisfactory?
People who think that have not had their consciousness raised by
natural selection. The key difference between the genuinely
Context:
It is tempting to think (and many have succumbed) that to
postulate a plethora of universes is a profligate luxury which should
not be allowed. If we are going to permit the extravagance of a
multiverse, so the argument runs, we might as well be hung for
a sheep as a lamb and allow a God. Aren't they both equally un-
parsimonious ad hoc hypotheses, and equally unsatisfactory?
People who think that have not had their consciousness raised by
natural selection. The key difference between the genuinely
Top answer
"One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb" refers to a English law when the penalty for any theft of any livestock was execution by hanging. If there is no difference in the penalty, you might as well steal a more valuable wool-bearing mature sheep as a lamb. There's no point in going half-way.
- "One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb" refers to a English law when the penalty for any theft of any livestock was execution by hanging.
- If there is no difference in the penalty, you might as well steal a more valuable wool-bearing mature sheep as a lamb.
- There's no point in going half-way.
- If you're going to do something that merits condemnation, go all out.
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5 Answers
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"One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb" refers to a English law when the penalty for any theft of any livestock was execution by hanging. If there is no difference in the penalty, you might as well steal a more valuable wool-bearing mature sheep as a lamb. There's no point in going half-way. If you're going to do something that merits condemnation, go all out.
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I got it clearer. Still, failed to get some nuances.
The problem is "for a sheep as a lamb".
A lamb is much smaller than a sheep. If you steel a lamb, you should be hanged by law.
And if you steel a sheep, your punishment is still being hanged.
So you decide to steel a sheep even a great herd of sheep! If successful, you'll be filthy rich. If you be caught when steeling a lamb, you
The problem is "for a sheep as a lamb".
A lamb is much smaller than a sheep. If you steel a lamb, you should be hanged by law.
And if you steel a sheep, your punishment is still being hanged.
So you decide to steel a sheep even a great herd of sheep! If successful, you'll be filthy rich. If you be caught when steeling a lamb, you
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There is a family resemblance between "be hung for a sheep as (for) a lamb" and "In for a penny, in for a pound". And then there is "to go whole hog". I mention these in case you want to look them up as well.
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Thank you.
Who would like to rewrite "equally un-parsimonious ad hoc hypotheses"?
Does it mean "equally very special hypotheses"?
Who would like to rewrite "equally un-parsimonious ad hoc hypotheses"?
Does it mean "equally very special hypotheses"?
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NL888Does it mean "equally very special hypotheses"?No. It's more complicated than that.
An ad hoc hypothesis is a guess, theory, principle, or speculation that is made up solely for the purpose of explaining the matter at hand (not intending to explain anything more general and without considering how it may contradict other more general pri
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