"This page intentionally left blank" - isn't that demonstrably false?

I think you’re over thinking this.

” Ceci n’est pas une page blanche ”

“This page intentionally left blank” is just a way of saying “there wasn’t supposed to be any information on this page.” It’s there to assure a reader that there wasn’t a printing error.

“Apart from those two words, and that and this, and the ones in between, and all the ones following them, consider this page to be blank.”

“We thought that it would really surprise you if we put this message on this otherwise blank page” might be better.

LOL I know, right?! Why not just leave the page out altogether?! Why do we need 6 blank pages front and back in a book or legal document packet?? Major waste! Major oxymoron!

Why not just leave the page out altogether?

It makes it clear the page is intentionally empty, not because of an error. Also because leaving out the blank sheets messes up pagination in a two-sided document.

I understand (and knew) why the page is printed with that. My point is why, even taking pagination into consideration, do they waste 4–8 sheets of paper in books? Why not just use 1 or 2 blank pages?

P.S. It’s a rhetorical question. ;)

And I’m not answering this question.

To All: The blank page is usually the verso of a printed page. Such as the back of the title page, or the reverse side of the last page of a chapter or section.

This question reminds me of a time that I saw a book, I think it was about logic, that had an entry in the index that said “self-reference” and the page given was the page of the book it was on.

@Yellowdog Check a book – you’ll see pages that are blank on both sides. I’m looking at a book right now that has 1 at the beginning and 3 at the end.

@smudges – to the question of why there are sometimes extra blank pages at the ends of books – it has to do with their printing method manufacturing.

See this:
What is a book signature?
A signature, sometimes abbreviated sig, is a sheet of paper printed with four or more pages and folded one or more times to the approximate size of one page and in a manner which puts the pages in proper numbered order. The more common signature impositions are 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 pages, which are formed by folding the sheet in half one or more times. Less common are 12, 20, 24, and 36 page signatures, which require more complicated folding patterns.

In some regions, signatures are identified by their lowest page number, so the second signature in a two section, 16 page book might be called “sig 5,” because it begins with page 5. In recent years, and what we do here at Carter Printing, signatures are identified by their position in the book, so the example might also be called “sig 2.” The cover of the book is not considered a signature in any numbering scheme. From Latin signum, sign.

So if there are extra (unprinted) pages at the end of a signature, they’re added, because of the process.

@elbanditoroso Yes, I looked it up and saw that, too, and thought about mentioning that I’d found that it has to do with the signature, but decided it was too much trouble so I didn’t. >:^)

I like tp tear books up sometimes, and I’ve noticed that each “page” is actually part of something printed on the other side of the book. So, blank pages usually are because it was necessary to heave the front or back page blank in order to print the front part.