Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

["Parlin, Steven" <PARLINS AT culver.org>]

 

Just a quick comment on the public debate regarding "gay marriage"

 

I wonder what Percy would make of this, at least from a semantic point of view. 'Marriage' refers to a specific thing, the union of man and woman, and whether one argues that such definitions can be stretched and broadened and altered to be more inclusive, the truth is they can't. For example, no one would really allow 'flock of fish' or 'swarm of cows' (unless for effect). Such words refer to specific things. So, leaving the moral arguments aside, on purely semantic terms, homosexuals can't be 'married' any more than fish can flock or cows can swarm. 

 

Just an observation.

 

Steve