Surmising suggests forming an opinion or guess with limited information, often without definite proof. Drawing a conclusion from available evidence, but it's still considered a guess. It can also rely on intuition and the patterns a person observes.I Have Questions wrote: ↑Tue Jul 01, 2025 8:51 pmHere’s the full quote “And no, you have no evidence in support of your assertion that they have their own minds on doctrinal subjects that differ from the official Church position. You just “surmise”. Which is another way of saying you make things up.”
Surmising “sans” evidence is making things up. Here’s a definition for you:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictio ... e_vignetteto guess something, without having much or any proof
Asserting something on the basis of a guess is making things up.
But it's not simply "making things up".
Google Search: https://www.google.com/search?q=does+th ... e&ie=UTF-8
Link is OK here. The conversation and context seems adequate to inform the intent, but adding something like ‘Definition follows…’ would have been good. -c-
So yes, I will agree that surmising "doesn't necessarily mean that a person has given extensive thought to a subject beforehand."
But on the other hand, it doesn't say that a person hasn't. The way you used the word and the associated context took a negative turn...as I would expect that it would.
I don't want to get 'wound up' in this, IHQ, as much as you might see it as being something that deserves a lot of attention.
I could, if hard pressed, come up with examples of others on this board that have ACTUALLY 'made things up'. That's not worth my time. I will say, again, as I've been saying lately...I think there is a certain degree of hypocrisy amongst some members of this board.
And I'll leave it at that.
Regards,
MG