# Is the glass half-empty or half-full? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708 "2005-05-13T17:56:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/1 "2005-05-13T17:56:33Z")
Well? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/2 "2005-05-13T18:04:15Z")
Full. 1/2 water + 1/2 air = Full. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/3 "2005-05-13T18:06:00Z")
Yes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/4 "2005-05-13T18:11:54Z")
If your intent is to drink a full glass of water, and you drink half of it, it is half empty. Since the intent is to empty the glass. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/5 "2005-05-13T18:13:30Z")
The glass is twice as large as it needs to be. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/6 "2005-05-13T18:15:30Z")
The issue is water, who cares about glass? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/7 "2005-05-13T18:19:01Z")
If someone is filling it and has stopped temporarily it is half full. If it has already been filled and someone is in the process of draining it, it is half empty. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/8 "2005-05-13T18:19:31Z")
just fill it up with plenty of ice cubes. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/9 "2005-05-13T18:20:35Z")
_There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What’s up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don’t think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!_ – ( **Terry Pratchett** , _The Truth_) ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/10 "2005-05-13T18:44:24Z")
Half-empty. And the part that’s left is probably poisoned. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/11 "2005-05-13T18:49:53Z")
I dunno how full it is, but there is always a tiny little chip in the glass right where I drink. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/12 "2005-05-13T18:51:13Z")
Hey, I wanted wine, not water. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/13 "2005-05-13T18:53:15Z")
half full. Even when its 1/8th full I always say ‘the glass is only 1/8th full’ ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/14 "2005-05-13T18:58:51Z")
It’s half a glass of water. If it was a recipe that called for half a cup of water it would be irrelevant. Same here. It’s absolute, and non-judgemental. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/15 "2005-05-13T19:21:37Z")
It is holding 50% of its rated capacity. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/16 "2005-05-13T19:26:34Z")
It’s not what I ordered at all. But seriously? Depends. If the last thing done to it was to add liquid, it’s half full. If the last thing done was to remove liquid (by drinking for instance) it’s half empty. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/17 "2005-05-13T19:27:18Z")
The glass just wants you to THINK it’s half full. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/18 "2005-05-13T19:27:50Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > It is holding 50% of its rated capacity. Probably more. Do you fill glasses up to the rim? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/19 "2005-05-13T19:30:50Z")
If is is beer, it is half empty. If it is soy milk, it is brimming half full. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708/20 "2005-05-13T19:35:28Z")
::Drinks the water:: Empty! ::Gets up and refills the glass.:: Wait, this isn’t a game thread? Oh, ok then. ::Drinks half the water in the glass, sets it down, and leaves. On the way out, he is almost flatten by a giant squid going past.:: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-glass-half-empty-or-half-full/303708.md?page=2)