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<blockquote data-quote="Kaodi" data-source="post: 5789288" data-attributes="member: 1231">I think there is a certain elegance to a well considered taxonomy. As you have have said yourself, the main purpose of a name is to keep the editions distinct. And there is at least one definite sense in which they will not be distinct if we refer to the next edition as a number lower than its true number (it is not quite the same problem if the number is higher): the signifier &quot; 5E &quot; is not necessarily identical in meaning to &quot; the fifth edition of Dungeons &amp; Dragons &quot; . It will always be reasonable to ask &quot; Is the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons the fifth edition that was published, or is it the edition referred to as Fifth Edition? &quot; I will understand if people object to this on the grounds that the probability of anyone being vexxed by this ambiguity in real life is nil, but I believe I am correct in diagnosing it as an ambiguity. You can thank philosophy for warping my brain in this precise way.( Edit: D&amp;D Next is a lame name, unless it is to be followed eventually by D&amp;D Try, in which case it would be elevated to freaking awesome. )</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Kaodi, post: 5789288, member: 1231"] I think there is a certain elegance to a well considered taxonomy. As you have have said yourself, the main purpose of a name is to keep the editions distinct. And there is at least one definite sense in which they will not be distinct if we refer to the next edition as a number lower than its true number (it is not quite the same problem if the number is higher): the signifier " 5E " is [I]not[/I] necessarily identical in meaning to " the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons " . It will [I]always[/I] be reasonable to ask " Is the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons the fifth edition that was published, or is it the edition referred to as Fifth Edition? " I will understand if people object to this on the grounds that the probability of anyone being vexxed by this ambiguity in real life is nil, but I believe I am correct in diagnosing it as an ambiguity. You can thank philosophy for warping my brain in this precise way. ( Edit: D&D Next is a lame name, unless it is to be followed eventually by D&D Try, in which case it would be elevated to freaking awesome. ) [/QUOTE]

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