Again Tonight! Sunday, Jan. 10th at 10PM. (Woops) Wahoo! Sherlock: The Abominable Bride

I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan (we share the same birthday).

I've watched the movies, and read all the books by Doyle. Honestly, I think his Inductive (not deductive) logic would be wrong most of the time. And much of his amazing power comes from esoteric knowledge that is very specific to the crime.

It reminds me of watching a Batman movie, and he always has exactly what he needs, in his utility belt. It would be impossible to have the exact tool to fit every possible problem.

And with Holmes, it would be impossible to always have the exact knowledge of pipe tobacco, or the makeup of mud on a shoe (as examples). Maybe once or twice, but not always.

And his inferences from small details. They could be correct, or partly correct, or complete misses. And most often, complete misses.

If there were actually a detective, that thought exactly like Holmes....he would almost always be wrong, by the way he uses logic. His logic would be right, but the premise would usually be wrong. In the books, his inferences are really just guesses. The author does the reasoning in reverse, so Holmes' inferences from the clues appear obvious to us. But with the information Holmes had to go on, his conclusions would most often be wrong.

Watching "The Seven Percent Solution", when Holmes first meets Sigmund Freud....his inferences were brilliant, and were obvious (though extremely clever) conclusions from the information available. A real class in how to use observation and inductive reasoning.

But most such displays look plausible in the excitement of the moment. But really are just acute observation, with educated guesses. In the two recent Robert Downey movies, some of the inferences were preposterously lucky guesses, given the information available to Holmes.


The movie is tonight on PBS at 9PM EST.

You don't think women should have the right to vote? I thought it was a novel plot twist.

Ha!

That's something you don't want to do on a date.

Or on Valentines Day.

Joe Mobley

Yeah, it had a quicksy YA fiction feel, but I wanna snog Thundersnatch.

Gonna swallow any off-the-cuff remarks cos I figure his English is impeccable, though I wanna peck him also.

Oh f*ck Damon, you are so in trouble here.

I feel a switch in allejance cummin' on.

Hard, hard, hard.

In your mind palace.

Fightin' to keep my tiara on as your deerstalker peels from your sweaty brow to stifle my animal yowls.

Oooh yeah I am gonna watch that show again, reprisin' me the highlights of the festive season.

Glassa wine, sonic toothbrush.

Oh yeah c'mon Beindict Whumpmasnatch.

Mars is so yesterday.