Path: dp-news.maxwell.syr.edu!spool.maxwell.syr.edu!drn.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!nx01.iad01.newshosting.com!newshosting.com!130.81.64.211.MISMATCH!cycny01.gnilink.net!spamkiller2.gnilink.net!gnilink.net!trndny07.POSTED!9244eeff!not-for-mail From: "David Cressey" Newsgroups: comp.databases.theory References: <1133896860.912140.197720@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> <1133992308.569062.326920@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1134052281.291970.61920@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: So what's null then if it's not nothing? Lines: 19 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 04:24:43 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 71.127.4.210 X-Complaints-To: abuse@verizon.net X-Trace: trndny07 1134361483 71.127.4.210 (Sun, 11 Dec 2005 23:24:43 EST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2005 23:24:43 EST Xref: dp-news.maxwell.syr.edu comp.databases.theory:35062 "Hugo Kornelis" wrote in message news:mr6pp1dthae49qdiudmgcp8eh66tmve5pp@4ax.com... > If a data type accomodates not only True and False but Unknown as well > (represented in whatever way), I'd hesitate to call it Boolean, since > most people associate the term Boolean with the most simple Boolean > algebra, that has only True and False. But on the other hand, if all > rules for a Boolean algebra are met, there's technically no reason to > object to the name Boolean for this data type. In order to move this discussion forward, I believe it's going to be necessary to distinguish between Boolean arithmetic and Boolean algebra.