My friend Karen Bennett blurbs Jaegwon Kim’s new book, Physicalism, or something near enough. The back cover, though, is careful to introduce Karen’s endorsement by saying only, “Advance praise for _Physicalism_.” Presumably some sharp-eyed editor realised it wouldn’t do for people to read “Advance praise for Physicalism, or something near enough.” Round our way, the title is proving to have all kinds of useful applications: “I was on time, or something near enough”, “Childcare, or something near enough”, “A viable constitution for Iraq, or something near enough.” I think it should catch on.
{ 5 comments }
dr ngo 08.30.05 at 12:54 am
The phrase I always found useful (starting from my army days) was “Close enough for government work.”
Jim Putnam 08.30.05 at 5:17 am
I like it, or something near enough.
While in the Air Force, I too used the close enough line. After retiring and working as a consultant with various federal departments, I learned how much most disliked the “close enough for government work” phrase. And I found that the government workers were equally as precise as any civilian. So, I stopped using that one. Perhaps I’ve found its replacement.
Brendan 08.30.05 at 6:52 am
Civil war, or something near enough?
Isaac 08.30.05 at 7:58 am
A supposedly fun thing I’ll never do again.
Selfman 08.30.05 at 9:55 am
Kim probably means “something near enough” to everything else he’s ever written.
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