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0 pointsLegitShady4y ago0 comments

I was taking a firearms safety course and there was a true/false section on a test. I can’t recall what the question was specifically but it was about which laws something fell under and the main issue was the word ‘or’ - when used as a logical OR the answer was True. When used as a sort of common day ‘or’ the answer was probably false.

I put false without thinking. I had everything else on the test right and part of the course was the instructor reviewing your test and going over your incorrect answers. He wasn’t a programmer (I think former military tbh) and didn’t really understand why I got it wrong even after I explained it…

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mnw21cam4y ago

What other meaning of the word "or" is there?

mauvehaus4y ago

In common usage, "or" is usually taken to mean exclusive or (XOR). Logical OR is non-exclusive. In most cases you can infer which is meant from context or it doesn't actually matter (much).

On a test for a gun license, it could get a little squishy as there are likely questions about the law (which only sometimes aligns with common sense) translated into lay English (which lacks the degree of precision you would likely find in the actual legal phrasing).

From Reddit ELI5:

"Cream or Sugar, in coffee is OR it means one the other or both

Fish or Chicken, for dinner is XOR it means one or the other not both."

https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4v6dcd/c...

mnw21cam4y ago

Let's just imagine (for the sake of an argument) that you're just about to be given a roadside alcohol breath test by a police officer, but in this universe having just eaten fish or chicken can cause a false positive. The officer asks you if you had eaten fish or chicken recently. In fact, you had both fish and chicken in your last meal an hour ago (don't ask). You should answer "yes".

Most cases where "or" is taken to mean xor are actually asking for a choice, expecting one of the options as an answer. If the "or" is part of a question expecting a yes/no answer, then it is much harder to justify it being an xor.

svachalek4y ago

I imagine they could ask questions like, "should you point the barrel at the ground or check the chamber for a bullet?" and you might say "or?" NO stop you need to do both, while the expected answer is YES you idiot you need to do both. Sometimes you just can't win.

bmn__4y ago

distinction between inclusive and exclusive or

wizzwizz44y ago

XOR.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsLegitShady4y ago0 comments

0 comments

mnw21cam4y ago

What other meaning of the word "or" is there?

mauvehaus4y ago

In common usage, "or" is usually taken to mean exclusive or (XOR). Logical OR is non-exclusive. In most cases you can infer which is meant from context or it doesn't actually matter (much).

From Reddit ELI5:

"Cream or Sugar, in coffee is OR it means one the other or both

Fish or Chicken, for dinner is XOR it means one or the other not both."

https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4v6dcd/c...

mnw21cam4y ago

svachalek4y ago

bmn__4y ago

distinction between inclusive and exclusive or

wizzwizz44y ago

XOR.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse