Semantic Argument

'This metallic behemoth of a demi-god told us not to touch any of the objects on the altar, didn't he?'

'Right.'

'What if a gust of wind blew the book off the altar? Then it wouldn't be on the altar and I could read it.'

'But it would still be an object that was on the altar at the time the metal lord told us not to touch anything on the altar.'

'Yes, but the book won't be on the altar any more.'

'The book doesn't lose the property of being an object on the altar at the time we were told not to touch anything on the altar just because it gets moved after that time.'

'I dunno about that. I think it's valid way of getting to read the book.'

'Well, you can try to ask the iron giant if the defining characteristic of an object not to be touched is it being sat on the altar or if the objects themselves were just all handily arranged on a single item for easy grouping, but as he seems quite unresponsive right now, and that this catatonic state is probably our best chance of not being squashed in to human pâté for his toast, I would prefer you didn't argue semantics with him, okay?'

'Aww. It looks like such an interesting book.'

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