I’ve previously argued that many proverbs and bon mots don’t make much sense. For instance, I’ve argued that it’s typically not the case that A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but that the benefits of knowledge tend to rise monotonically. I think there are many such cases.
Very interesting post. I wonder whether Elster may be right in the sense that proverbs arise as encapsulation of gross effects captured with a few evocative words. But then, as you point out, people use proverbs often without considering that limitation.
Very interesting post. I wonder whether Elster may be right in the sense that proverbs arise as encapsulation of gross effects captured with a few evocative words. But then, as you point out, people use proverbs often without considering that limitation.