[Haskell-cafe] Accumulator value for "and" and "or"

[PR Stanley]

Hi
or = foldl (||) False
and = foldl (&&) True
I can understand the rationale for the accumulator value - True && [] 
where [] = True and True || [] where [] = False
Other than the practical convenience is there a reason for having the 
empty list in and and or equating to True and False?
Thanks, Paul