(29/03/2010 06:38 PM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  

(29/03/2010 04:43 AM)feinicks Wrote:  

(29/03/2010 04:17 AM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  

(28/03/2010 11:52 AM)feinicks Wrote:  Yes. Failing and succeeding is a matter or perception, but perception in our society is based on Social convention. For instance, if you failed at the test to prove that you're not a nerd, that would imply that you did so to "fit in". You have failed because failing a test is in violation of why you gave it in the first place.

Really though?  Wouldn't the reason you gave it in, in the first place, was to prove that you failed?

Hardly. If your main intent was to fail, you would not give the exam at all.

Then you would not have succeeded in failing an exam.  You would've just not taken it.

The outcome of the test would simply be succeed or fail. While you ulterior motive might have been to fail, your ultimate result was failure. Consider this:
If someone commits suicide, while they have succeeded in killing themselves, the successful result is still Failure.