# Atlas Shrugged Reading and Practice\[Dface\]

**URL:** <https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001>\
**Category:** Other\
**Created:** [February 17, 2025, 8:45am UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001 "2025-02-17T08:45:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/41 "2025-03-11T17:58:16Z")

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Oh yeah ok I remember now

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**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/42 "2025-03-12T22:36:41Z")

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> [@Dface](#):
>
> > [@ActiveMind](#):
> >
> > Silly mistake by me.
> 
> Was it a mistake? Im thinking probably people who are ok at reading and writing can pick up:

Re: my quote. The subject of it is whether @ActiveMind made a mistake about something. I say “something” cuz it’s kind of hard to talk about this part of our convo accurately. I don’t wanna misquote.

I think that “something” was about whether “Hank” or “Rearden” refers to Hank Rearden all the time in the book. I know that @ActiveMind and I concluded that it isn’t a mistake like we haven’t refuted that “Hank” or “Rearden” in the book only refers to Hank Rearden.

The subject of my quote is about whether @ActiveMind made a mistake or not about a statement he made in the convo. Here’s the statement I’m talking about:

> [@ActiveMind](#):
>
> Whenever only “Hank” or “Rearden” is used in AS it’s actually a shorthand for “Hank Rearden”, they’re always referring to the specific person which is Hank Rearden.

Quote #2:

> [@Dface](#):
>
> Im thinking probably people who are ok at reading and writing can pick up:
> 
> > [@ActiveMind](#):
> >
> > Oh, obviously “Rearden” could refer to his family members. It’s a shorthand to “Hank Rearden” only when it actually refers to Hank.
> 
> without having it stated to them directly.

My part of the quote is talking about how ok readers and writers can understand @ActiveMind’s quote above without having it stated to them. That sounds like I’m talking about the discussion.

Quote #3:

> [@Dface](#):
>
> I think im inexperienced at how to reference specific people by the use of their last name in a book or essay

My quote is talking about how qualified I am at a discussion. I think that means how qualified in the discussion taking place. That sounds like talking about the discussion.

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**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/43 "2025-03-12T23:01:20Z")

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sorry i meant to post this on the other thread

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**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/44 "2025-03-18T20:14:39Z")

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I’m gonna practice step one, two, and three of analyzing a sentence from the [FI grammar article](https://fallibleideas.com/grammar). Quotes are from ch. 7 of part 1:

> She looked up at a street lamp on the corner.

- looked (verb)
  - She (subject)

> The car jerked forward.

- jerked(verb)
  - car(subject)

> At the end of the street, across the river, against the glow of a factory, she saw the thin tracing of a power station.

- saw(verb)
  - she(subject)
  - tracing(object)

> A dot of light was rising in a straight line to the top of an invisible tower.

- was(verb)
  - dot(subject)
  - rising(complement)

> It was the elevator of a great hotel.

- was(verb)
  - It(subject)
  - elevator(complement)

> Men were moving a heavy, crated piece of equipment from a truck into the basement.

- were(verb)
  - Men(subject)
  - moving(complement)

> He remained silent for a long time.

- remained(linking verb?)
  - He (subject)
  - silent(complement maybe?)

I think “remained” is probably a linking verb and “silent” is its complement. I think thats cuz without “silent” it doesnt answer the question of what state or condition “He” stayed in.

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**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/45 "2025-03-24T20:15:56Z")

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I’m going to practice step 4 of analyzing a sentence from the FI grammar aritcle. I’m going to do the first three steps of analyzing a sentence then just point out the modifiers:

Step 4 quote from the article:

> **Finding modifiers** , and figuring out what they modify, is step four for understanding a sentence. Each previous step involved only two possible **questions**. Modifiers answer a wide variety of questions. E.g.: “What type?”, “What size?”, “How much?”, “How many?”, “What material is it made of?”, “When?”, “Where?”, “To what degree?” or “In what manner was the action performed?”.

Quotes are from Part 1 Ch. 7 of the book:

> I really wouldn’t know.

- would
  - I
  - know

Modifiers:  
really  
not

> That is the province of Dr. Ferris.

- is
  - That
  - province

Modifiers:  
the  
of Dr. Ferris

> I did hear something about it.

- did(verb)
  - I(subject)
  - hear(object)

Modifiers:  
about it

I think “hear” is the object of “did” and “something” is the object “hear” so I don’t think those are modifiers.

> The wrinkles of amusement deepened about his eyes.

- deepened(verb)
  - wrinkles(subject)

Modifiers:  
The  
of amusement  
about his eyes

> The building of our branch line has been stopped by the statement of this Institute.

- has(verb)
  - building(subject)
  - been(object)

Modifiers:  
The (first the)  
of our branch line  
by the statement  
of this Insititute

> There was an edge of sharpness in his voice.

- was(verb)
  - There(subject)
  - edge(complement)

Modifiers:  
an  
of sharpness  
in his voice

> That is quite impossible.

- is(verb)
  - That(subject)
  - impossible(complement)

Modifiers:  
quite

I think next I’m gonna work on pointing out what the modifiers modify

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 3:35am UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/46 "2025-03-30T03:35:30Z")

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> [@Dface](#):
>
> I’m going to practice step 4 of analyzing a sentence from the FI grammar aritcle. I’m going to do the first three steps of analyzing a sentence then just point out the modifiers:

I’m gonna do what’s said in the above quote again.

Quotes are from Part 1 Ch. 7 of the book:

> Her head dropped.

- dropped (verb)
  - head (subject)

Modifier:  
Her

> I don’t blame our metallurgical department!

- do(verb)
  - I(subject)
  - blame(object)

Modifiers:  
not  
our  
metallurgical

> That is the alternative.

- is(verb)
  - That(subject)
  - alternative(complement)

Modifier:  
the

> It was almost a plea.

- was(verb)
  - It (subject)
  - plea(complement)

Modifiers:  
almost  
a

> She looked up.

- looked(verb)
  - She(subject)

Modifier:  
up

> Her face was composed and empty.

- was(complement)
  - face(subject)
  - and(conjunction)
    - composed(complement)
    - empty(complement)

modifier:  
Her

> I am older than you.

- am(verb)
  - I(subject)
  - older(complement)

Modifier:  
idk if “than” is a preposition or a conjunction

if it is a preposition then for sure “than you” is a modifier.

> Men are not open to truth or reason.

- are(verb)
- Men(subject)
- open(complement)

Modifiers:  
not  
to truth or reason(i think this is a modifier and not infinitive cuz truth and reason are nouns)

> They cannot be reached by a rational argument.

- cannot(verb)
  - They(subject)
  - be(object)

Modifiers:  
by a rational argument

> The mind is powerless against them.

- is(verb)
  - mind(subject)
  - powerless(complement)

Modifiers:  
The  
against them

> We cannot expect their support for any endeavor of the intellect, for any goal of the spirit.

- cannot(verb)
  - We(subject)
  - expect(object)

Modifiers:  
their  
for any endeavor  
of the intellect  
for any goal of the spirit(looks like a modifier even though it comes after a comma)

> I’ve fought it all my life.

- have(verb)
  - I(subject)
  - fought(object)

Modifiers:  
all  
my  
all my life???(looks like a modifier that tells us how long Stradler fought)

Post practice:  
I think I was practicing more on how to translate the words in my head into words on the screen. Like, first gotta type verb, then subject, then object/complement. Also practiced how to bullet point real fast so i don’t have to think about it much.

I think practicing with bullet points probably helps with treeing sentences cuz it’s still the same process of type verb first then subject then object.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elliot](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/elliot/32/14_2.png) [@Elliot](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Elliot)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/47 "2025-03-30T15:32:20Z")

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> [@Dface](#):
>
> > I am older than you.
> 
> - am(verb)
> - I(subject)
> - older(complement)
> 
> Modifier:  
> idk if “than” is a preposition or a conjunction
> 
> if it is a preposition then for sure “than you” is a modifier.

Conjunctions join clauses, not phrases. The exception is coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS acronym), which can do both. But there are only a few coordinating conjunctions, and they’re all short words that you can remember.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/user_avatar/discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/dface/32/3926_2.png) [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 9:22pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/atlas-shrugged-reading-and-practice-dface/2001/48 "2025-03-30T21:22:06Z")

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> [@Elliot](#):
>
> The exception is coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS acronym), which can do both.

Oh ok, I remember FANBOYS. Than is not a coordinating conjunction so if it is a conjunction then it’s joining whole clauses not phrases.

> [@Dface](#):
>
> > I am older than you.
> 
> - am(verb)
> - I(subject)
> - older(complement)
> 
> Modifier:  
> idk if “than” is a preposition or a conjunction

Is “than” a conjunction or a preposition in

> I am older than you.

?

If it’s a conjunction that’s joining the phrase “you” with something else then it has to be a coordinating conjunction. However, “than” is not one of the 7 coordinating conjunctions. That means that “than” is a preposition or maybe something else, but idk what else it could be.

Even though I said the last paragraph I still don’t agree that “than you” is a preposition. I still doubt for some reason as well that than is not a conjunction.

I don’t know why it’s hard to think that since there are only seven coordinating conjunctions and than is not one of them then that means the “than” from the Atlas Shrugged quote is not a conjunction.

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