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Shcho23 Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

What does "them" refer to?

In what way shall a good inventor of hypotheses be guided to his invention? Shall he confine himself only to the hypotheses which, when first he proposes them, seem antecedently probable? If he does this, he condemns himself to relative infertility. For the antecedently probable hypothesis is precisely the hypothesis which lacks any very notable novelty.
  

Top answer

shcho23 Shall he confine himself only to the hypotheses which, when first he proposes them , seem antecedently probable? "them" can only refer back to a plural noun which occurred earlier. Can you list all the plural nouns that occur before "them"?

— CalifJim

  • shcho23 Shall he confine himself only to the hypotheses which, when first he proposes them , seem antecedently probable?
  • "them" can only refer back to a plural noun which occurred earlier.
  • Can you list all the plural nouns that occur before "them"?
  • CJ
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5 Answers
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shcho23Shall he confine himself only to the hypotheses which, when first he proposes them, seem antecedently probable?
"them" can only refer back to a plural noun which occurred earlier.

Can you list all the plural nouns that occur before "them"?

CJ
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[Edit]
In what way shall a good inventor of (1)hypotheses be guided to his invention? Shall he confine himself only to (2)the hypotheses which, when first he proposes them, seem antecedently probable? If he does this, he condemns himself to relative infertility. For the antecedently probable hypothesis is precisely the hypothesis which lacks any very n
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shcho23Which one does the underlined them refer to? (1) or (2)?
The nearest, namely (2).

CJ
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Thank you so much, CJ Emotion: smile

Is it also grammatically correct?

Can I say, "I have a book, which when I first bought it,
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shcho23Can I say, "I have a book, which when I first bought it, seemed quite boring."?
Be careful about the placement of commas when you write it.

I have a book which, when I first bought it, seemed quite boring.

Yes, you can say it and write it, but
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