AMBIGUITY AND SYMBOLIC LOGIC
The universal use of some system of Symbolic Logic would not only enable
everybody easily to deal with exceedingly complicated arguments, but
would prevent ambiguous arguments. In denying the indispensability of
Symbolic Logic in the former state of things, Keynes[33] is probably
alone, against the need strongly felt by Alice when speaking to the
Duchess,[34] and most modern logicians. It may be noticed that the
Duchess is more consistent than Keynes, for Keynes really uses the signs
for logical multiplication and addition of Boole and Venn under the
different shapes of the words "and" and "or."
As regards ambiguity, a translation of _Hymns Ancient and Modern_ into,
say, Peanesque, would prevent the puzzle of childhood as to whether the
"his" in
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees
refers to the saint's knees or Satan's.
FOOTNOTES:
[33] In his _Fm. L._
[34] See Appendix I.