# Programming Clojure, Fourth Edition: Semantics of some (p. 74)

**URL:** <https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-clojure-fourth-edition-semantics-of-some-p-74/238577>\
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**Created:** [21 March 2026 23:12 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-clojure-fourth-edition-semantics-of-some-p-74/238577 "2026-03-21T23:12:23Z")\
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**Author:** ![grylix](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/grylix/32/7935_2.png) [@grylix](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/grylix)\
**Post date:** [21 March 2026 23:12 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-clojure-fourth-edition-semantics-of-some-p-74/238577/1 "2026-03-21T23:12:23Z")

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On page 74 you write

> Note that the value returned is the value in the sequence, which would act  
> as a truthy value if this was used as a conditional test.

I assume, that you refer to the general use of `some`, but then the return value of `some` is not a value in the sequence but rather the first truthy return value of the given predicate. I think that your statement is only correct if the `identity` function is used as predicate or if the predicate returns the element itself.

An alternative statement would be

> Note that `some` returns the first truthy value produced by applying the predicate to the sequence elements.  
> This value can be used directly as a truthy value in a conditional.