If the attachment is what makes it a screwdriver, then the attachment is also what makes it a drill.
An electric kitchen mixer is not a drill. At least, it wasn’t designed to be one. But I could weld a drill bit on there and turn it into something which can maybe drill - if terribly.
Similarly, the ‘device’ part of what we call an electric drill can’t drill anything, not until you put the drill bit in. It’s not a drill in its base form - just a handheld spinny thing waiting for a purpose.
But I could add a whisk and turn it into a kitchen mixer…
We generally call the body part of a drill ‘a drill’ because that’s what it was designed to be. It’s got speed settings and torque control and hammer function and all the things that were engineered to make it good at drilling. But it’s not a drill without the bit - both practically and philosophically - and what community is more philosophical than showerthoughts.
If we’re speaking philosophically, do we really know that an electric kitchen mixer, when fitted with a bit, would make a terrible drill? It’s probably not something that’s been tested or studied much, if at all.
For all we know, it would make an excellent one.
Maybe we should apply for grants, talk to labs. Set up some experiments.
If the attachment is what makes it a screwdriver, then the attachment is also what makes it a drill.
An electric kitchen mixer is not a drill. At least, it wasn’t designed to be one. But I could weld a drill bit on there and turn it into something which can maybe drill - if terribly.
Similarly, the ‘device’ part of what we call an electric drill can’t drill anything, not until you put the drill bit in. It’s not a drill in its base form - just a handheld spinny thing waiting for a purpose.
But I could add a whisk and turn it into a kitchen mixer…
We generally call the body part of a drill ‘a drill’ because that’s what it was designed to be. It’s got speed settings and torque control and hammer function and all the things that were engineered to make it good at drilling. But it’s not a drill without the bit - both practically and philosophically - and what community is more philosophical than showerthoughts.
If we’re speaking philosophically, do we really know that an electric kitchen mixer, when fitted with a bit, would make a terrible drill? It’s probably not something that’s been tested or studied much, if at all.
For all we know, it would make an excellent one.
Maybe we should apply for grants, talk to labs. Set up some experiments.