Ladder or Stepladder

Is this a ladder or a stepladder?

As Edgeworth, I say it's a ladder. What do the rest of you think?

step ladder

Why would you say it's a step-ladder? They both help you get to higher areas, so there is no difference. You need to stop judging things based on narrow-minded cultural assumptions (ace attorney reference)

Yes! Glad we are discussing the BIG questions

By the way, this is what I wrote earlier on the subject:

Actually there IS a difference lol. A step-ladder can support itself; meanwhile a ladder must recline on something to stand upright. In the picture you posted, with Ace Attorney characters on each side, that is a step-ladder because it is self-supporting.

Also, my younger brother (also into Ace Attorney) has the stance: 

Mmh?! So it is a ladder ... but with extra steps

Yes, but a ladder is a ladder, regardless of it's characteristics.

If you studied some forms of logic, then you may be familiar with some of the work from John Ven (one who came up with the Ven diagram). Even kids in 1st grade learn this stuff as a way to organize, but Ven's work was a lot more complex than just 2 circles overlapping a bit. It was actually a deeply thought out system consisting of "sets" and "sub-sets."

Applying his approach to this ladder debate, Ven would argue that "ladder" would be included in the set of all ladders and and "step-ladder" would be included within that prior set as a sub-set. 

In other words, all step-ladders are ladders, but not all ladders are step-ladders. Just like how all tables are pieces of furniture, but not all pieces of furniture are tables (e.g. chairs).

This is a bit more philosophy than the Ace Attorney series would get into, but Ven's approach seems correct here.

Venn's approach may be logical, but it doesn't answer the question. KeSeto, I would like to ask you, what would you call the ladder in the image. Do you use the general term and say it's a ladder, or do you use a specific term and say it's a step-ladder?

Forgot to  add the question mark. Sorry

"Step-ladder" because it fits Ven's criterion for the sub-set requirements. However, "ladder" as a generalized term would also be correct through this logic though.

Also, you can "edit" posts after you posted them in forums. Near the "quote" button, there is "delete" and "edit" buttons. The left-most button is "edit" - just click this, add your question mark into the original post response and then hit "post." Voila; the post was edited

Ladder is a term that covers various types, one of which is a step ladder!  The picture shows is commonly known as a stepladder probably because it is free-standing and you can step on it without using your hands (though some stepladders do have a handrail!). It has a similar form to the steps many of us have up to our front door though they are fixed not portable like a step ladder!! .  You usually climb other types of ladders (such as the ones builders lean against the side of a building to get to the roof), essentially by using your hands!  So, if you climb using your hands it's a ladder, if you don't need to use your hands or it is free-standing then it is commonly called a stepladder

Cool logic. So what would you say is the one in the picture

@Noel1941 would certainly call it a step-ladder for the same reasoning. Notice this is in essence the same perspective as Ven's argument, but just worded differently. Ven's form of "categorical logic" would count step-ladder as a sub-set of all ladders.

Kind of cool actually - we are getting fairly philosophical about an Ace Attorney running gag

Exactly. I was hoping to get this debate up and running but there is nothing I love more than logic (I'd also call it a stepladder for that reason, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm Edgeworth, and for some reason he says ladder). What Noel1941 failed to say though was whether the one in the picture was a ladder or a stepladder