Is inaction, action?

[GoodTaste]

What is the subject of "Is inaction, action?" It seems more or less to mean "Is inaction, or action lawful?" I am not sure at all.

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When politicians wilfully neglect scientific advice, international and historical experience, and their own alarming statistics and modelling because to act goes against their political strategy or ideology, is that lawful? Is inaction, action?1 How big an omission is not acting immediately after the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020?

Source: The British Medical Journal

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm not entirely clear what they're trying to say. If it meant "Is inaction, or inaction, lawful", I would expect to see ...

"... ideology, is that lawful? Is inaction? Is action?"

My initial reaction was that it was supposed to mean "Is inaction, in fact, action?" If that's what was meant, there should have been no comma in the original.

 

[GoesStation]

It has nothing to do with legality. It asks whether failing to act can be a kind of action.

 

[emsr2d2]

It has nothing to do with legality. It asks whether failing to act can be a kind of action.

So do you take it to mean "Is inaction action?"?

 

[GoesStation]

So do you take it to mean "Is inaction action?"?

Yes. I think the author added the comma to make it clear it wasn't a typo.

 

[jutfrank]

P = Inaction is action

This is a proposition (P) of equation. The subject is Inaction. It equates inaction with action. The interrogative word order as appears in the text inverts subject and verb, and, logically speaking, asks whether P is true.