poemranker ::Suggestion

Suggestionand its replies. All suggestions

Does "It ought to be the case that X" imply "It ought to be the case that it ought to be the case that X?

For example: Fraser Allonby ought to put a sock in it. But ought it to be the case that Fraser Allonby ought to put a sock in it? He certainly ought to be a gentleman. But if he was a gentleman, it wouldn't be the case that he ought to put a sock in it.

Oh dear Christ I oughtn't to have written "ought" so many times. I can't tell whether any of what I've said is correct English.

2 replies

nentwined 19 May 2005 Reply
Very oughtful.
In my view, it ought not to be the case that I ought not to fail to refrain from putting any sock anywhere other than in "it". Do you agree?