Women in the Church

Trevor and Margaret Nicholls tmjpbn at ihug.co.nz
Wed Aug 19 06:16:36 EDT 1998



Paul Dixon wrote:
> In summary, there is a conflict between 1 Cor 11:5 and 1 Cor 14:34-45,
> only if one assumes the negation of 1 Cor 11:5.  As you well know,
> the negation of a conditional is not a valid inference.  "If A, then
> B" does not imply "if not A, then not B."  1 Cor 11:5 says, "she who
> prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head." 
> This does not imply, as most usually erroneously infer, the negation:
> she who prays or prophesies with her head covered does not shame her
> head.

At the risk of lapsing into symbolic logic and not Greek, IMHO Paul (D)
has oversimplified the construction of Paul (the Ap).
Note that his "A" is itself a compound (i.e. A = prays or prophesies and
not head covered). Better is

if A and not B, then C

where A = prays/prophecies
            B = head covered
            C = head shamed

Now there are three possible converses
if A and B then not C ??  -- this is Paul D's only proposition
if not A and not B then not C ?? 
if not A and not B then not C ??

Given that both B and C involve the head, the interpretation
which most of us "erroneously infer" is not so stupid, methinks.

> 
> Sincerely in Christ,
> 
> Paul S. Dixon

Regards
Trevor Nicholls
tmjpbn at ihug.co.nz




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