It doesn't matter. Don't you pay attention to what you write?

It does matter. What's the point of that question?

What would it take for "No" to be a correct answer?

Your question is pointless...


"A lie is a misrepresention of one's own belief"


It's Joes belief that determines if he's lying, NOT you attributing "correctness" to his answer....


C'mon, I thought you said this was so simple a very small child could understand it?

Would you like it better if I asked what would it take for Joe to believe that "no" was a correct answer?

Sure, ask away.

I'm waiting for your answer.

I'm not Joe, keep waiting...

You're being evasive and it does not bode well for your own honesty.

Joe's not here, therefore I'm obviously not asking Joe. You and I both know that I'm asking you. You, PeterPan - not Joe - asserted that "no" can be an honest answer to the question "Are you alone?" Now, instead of being direct and answering a direct question, you're hiding behind a hypothetical character. That's not a good sign.

Granting that you were being honest then, and assuming that you've not since changed your own belief, it only follows now that you still believe that "no" can be an honest answer.

Upon what reasonable ground do you base that openly expressed belief?

You really don't understand me huh?
I don't care what you think of my honesty. I'm sitting here trying to explain to you how you are misjudging someone else's honesty and you think your opinion about my honesty matters to me?




LOL, that's funny. You changing the context and situation now? Or are you misrepresenting my words again?


I'll correct that statement for ya...
"You, PeterPan - not Joe - asserted that "no" can be an honest answer to the question "Are you alone?"for Joe to give to Jill"




On the basis that some people do take things literally...

So, you're arguing for holding the position that "no" is an honest answer to the question "Are you alone?" based upon the idea that it can be taken literally to mean "Are you alone, or am I here too?"

Seriously dude, just stop it.


Do you even know how to take something literally?

That's interesting because I'm asserting that when Jill asked Joe "Are you alone" his honest answer would be "Yes". Tell me then, how am I misjudging Joe's honesty?

Stop what? It's not about me. I'm asking you to show me a literal interpretation that makes an answer of "no" an honest one. I've reduced that position to nonsense. Only you can resurrect it.

Show another one which supports holding the belief that "no" serves as an honest answer to the question "Are you alone?" according to the earlier context of Joe, Jill, and Mary.

Picture this.

I am alone. Suddenly I hear a voice asking, "Are you alone?"

You know what my answer would be?

I might say, "That depends on whether you are a voice in my head."

How can you hold the following things to be true without self-contradiction?

1. "Are you alone, or am I here too?" is a nonsensical interpretation of the question "Are you alone?"

2. "Are you alone?" means "Are you alone, or are others present but unseen?"

3. "I say that an answer of "no, of course not" should be Joe's honest answer."


Given that you've agreed to all of the above, and knowing that 3 does not agree with 2, but rather requires 1, how do you reconcile your claims?

Now, regarding the example of Joe, Jill, and Mary - it is obvious that two people are required for any question to be asked. Thus, if we are being obtuse, facetious, or intentionally sarcastic we may answer "No, you're here too." But we would all do that knowing what the question is really asking for. The same question with the same meaning can be asked on the phone as well. It means the same thing.

We all know that when asking such a question, the speaker is not counting themself nor are they expecting us to count them or they would not even seriously ask the question. A scenario of joking around is possible, but those are not examples by which we determine honesty.

I think that Peter was just being coy and got caught with his pants down.

I'd be interested in reading another literal interpretation of the question which supports the notion that "no" should be the honest answer.

You are over-thinking things.

"literal" requires no interpretation.

Definition of LITERAL
1a : according with the letter of the scriptures
b : adhering to fact or to the ordinary construction or primary meaning of a term or expression
c : free from exaggeration or embellishment
d : characterized by a concern mainly with facts
2: of, relating to, or expressed in letters
3: reproduced word for word : exact, verbatim



CTW


I'll pull up my pants when you're done...

You think that that somehow helps your case? The primary meaning of the expression "Are you alone?" is the one that I'm using, have spelled out, and you've long since agreed with. It also makes "no" a dishonest answer.