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by 1123581321 423 days ago
They both have multiple meanings in English. The article was using reflexive this way: “ characterized by habitual and unthinking behavior.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reflexive

Is that fair to the word given its roots, no, but that is English for you. :)
1 comments
cjs_ac 423 days ago
As bad as Merriam-Webster is, you might notice that 'characterised by habitual and unthinking behaviour' is the fourth, i.e., least common, definition offered, not the first.
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Izkata 422 days ago
Merriam-Webster uses historical order, not how common the meanings are [0], which makes more sense to me - I'm not entirely sure I've ever heard the "reflective" meaning for "reflexive". The "unthinking" meaning is definitely more common.

[0] https://www.merriam-webster.com/help/explanatory-notes/dict-... (See "Order of Senses")

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1123581321 423 days ago
Somehow I knew you would keep digging. :) It’s not marked as an archaic so any of them are valid. Context tells the reader which is being used.
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cjs_ac 423 days ago
> Somehow I knew you would keep digging. :)

I was the teacher who thought words were fun. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be acceptable any more. :(

> Context tells the reader which is being used.

That's the thing: if you read the CEO's post on its own, with both meanings in mind, it's not clear (at least to me) which is intended.

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1123581321 422 days ago
Words are fun, especially etymology! And students do respond well to enthusiasm for them, or at least appreciate it later. Thank you for that. My wife also teaches English and a foreign language so that’s a part of our life.

That said, how could you have read this and not understood the context for the definition used?! “The phrase “reflexive AI usage” is what triggered my strongest reaction. “Reflexive” suggests unthinking, automatic reliance.”

I thought it was fine to object that you liked the primary definition the most and had the strongest association with it.

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gorjusborg 423 days ago
Words and civil debate seeking truth are fun!

The following behavior is not.

> No, reflexive and reflective are synonyms; ...

> I was the teacher who thought words were fun. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be acceptable any more. :(

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