Talk:Tautology

"Tautology" has two definitions, one philosophical, one rhetorical. The current article confounds the two definitions.

• From Miriam-Webster, rhetorical tautology is defined as "needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word".

The triangle example given is not a tautology, but a definition. An example of a rhetorical tautology would be, for instance, a "godless atheist", or a "three-sided triangle" (as opposed to "all triangles have three sides".

• From Dictionary.com, a philosophical tautology is:

a.a compound propositional form all of whose instances are true, as “A or not A.” b.an instance of such a form, as “This candidate will win or will not win.” Another example is "If it rains, it will rain."

"Survival of the fittest" is not a tautology, but a description of a specific process that may be found to be true or untrue via investigation. Tautology is irrelevant here.

Perhaps someone could edit the user page to reflect this. I would, but given my reputation...

--PalMD^talk 22:15, 15 April 2007 (EDT)

Never mind, I did the edit, anyone who wishes to clean it up a little is welcome.--PalMD^talk 14:08, 16 April 2007 (EDT)