Comment by endofreach

> It's because the value does not represent a binary true or false but rather a means by which the item is deleted or dead.

"Deleted" and "dead" are separate columns.

> So not only would it not make sense semantically, it would break if a third means were introduced.

If that was the intention, it would seem like a bad design decision to me. And actually what you assume to be the reasoning, is exactly what should be avoided. Which makes it a bad thing.

This is a limitation not because of having the bool value be represented by an int (or rather "be presented as"), but because of the t y p e , being an integer.