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Comments on What's the difference between "in doing so" and "by doing so"?

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What's the difference between "in doing so" and "by doing so"?

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As the title mentioned, what's the difference between these two terms? The question has troubled me for some time. Hope somebody can answer me. Thanks!

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maybe have a look at https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-%E2%80%9Cin-doing-so%E2%... (1 comment)
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Here are some results from Google:

Zeel's answer on StackExchange

Using the word "in" means that the action takes place at the same time as something. However "by" is used to denote the manner or reason something was done.

So "in doing so" actually means "while doing so", but "by doing so" means "because I did so".

So consider:

I ran out the door, in doing so I slipped on the ice outside.

This means that while I was in the process of running out the door, I slipped.

I ran out the door, by doing so I slipped on the ice outside.

This means that I slipped as a direct result of running out the door - which isn't entirely true. If I had noticed the ice, worn different shoes, or stepped carefully I could have avoided slipping while still "running out the door". The direct cause of my slipping was negligence, not the action described in the sentence.

FumbleFingers's answer

I suspect many native speakers wouldn't really distinguish in/by [doing so/so doing]1, but to the extent that there is any tendency to use them differently...

I hastily cleared up after the party guests had left, but in doing so I broke an expensive vase

...most people probably wouldn't use by doing so. That's because the in version often simply means while, at the same time, whereas the by version normally implies as a direct, inherent, and/or intended consequence.


1 As can be inferred from the lack of a clear consensus in responses to (presumably, a different) nima's question on this dictionary forum last year.

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Some people here hold the view that the only legitimate questions are ones for which no answers can p... (1 comment)
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Some people here hold the view that the only legitimate questions are ones for which no answers can p...
gmcgath‭ wrote almost 2 years ago

Some people here hold the view that the only legitimate questions are ones for which no answers can previously be found on the Internet. This isn't the first time someone has complained that the answer could be found using Google.

If we allowed only questions on which there's no previously published information, the result would be even fewer questions, and esoteric ones that interested few people.

In addition, you've copied the work of others verbatim to give your answer. That diminishes the value of this resource, as people coming here will see material which was first published elsewhere.