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Dealing with Humpty Dumpty: Research, Practice, and the Ethics of Public Health Surveillance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Amy L. Fairchild
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Extract

Alice considered [the idea of un-birthday presents] a little. “I llke birthday presents best,” she said at last.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” cried Humpty Dumpty. … “[There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents… And only one for birthday presents, you know. There’s a ‘glory’ for you!”

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘glory,’” Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. “Of course you don’t—till I tell you. I meant ‘there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!’”

“But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knock-down argument,’” Alice objected.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

Type
Article
Information
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , Winter 2003 , pp. 615 - 623
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 2003

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