Klarinet Archive - Posting 001009.txt from 1998/12
From: "Scott Morrow" <scottdmorrow@-----.com> Subj: Re: [kl] Opinions and Arguments Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 18:10:38 -0500
Donna,
I have anything BUT time on my hands! Not even enough time to write
Tony's post, which you attributed to me!
Happy New Year!
-Scott
>
>Back to Scott:
>You have toooo much time on your hand.... or need something besides a
>keyboard or a clarinet to fill (feel) it.......
>You seem to NEVER let things go.....
>So I am going to.....
>YOU enjoy listening to yourself..... How could you ever measure up to
>yourself?
>
>At 07:37 PM 12/26/98 +0000, you wrote:
>>Your opinions are your own.
>>
>>Your arguments aren't.
>>
>>There is nothing much you can do with an opinion except acknowledge
it,
>>or express another opinion, leaving the original one unaltered.
>>
>>But there is something that you can do with an argument: criticise it.
>>Indeed, it's important to do so, because you might improve it. And to
>>criticise an argument, you obviously have to read it.
>>
>>Now, a criticism of an argument is also an argument, and can itself be
>>criticised. It is *not* just an opinion.
>>
>>And, because to criticise any argument you have to read it, it is an
>>especially valid part of criticising a criticism to show where a
critic
>>has failed to address the argument they purported to have criticised,
>>or where they have addressed instead some other argument they have
made
>>up.
>>
>>So, I personally expect to have my arguments criticised -- indeed, I
>>invite such criticism -- but I retain the right to argue against those
>>criticisms for not addressing my arguments, as and when they do not.
>>
>>Of course, there is much of value here that is not argument at all.
>>Opinions, advice, humour ... it's very rich.
>>
>>But I would nevertheless like to think that the list would support me
in
>>this attitude to postings that do constitute argument. It would also
be
>>some support to the tottering structure of rational discourse in our
>>world.
>>
>>Now, beyond that, I want to announce a personal choice -- I am making
a
>>New Year's resolution.
>>
>>Last year's arguments are last year's arguments. There are still a
few
>>unaddressed nonsenses wailing away out there, but, let them be. In
the
>>future, though, if the necessity arises, I undertake to point out, and
>>continue to point out (gently to begin with) failures to adhere to the
>>standards of rational discourse, even when (or perhaps that should be
>>especially when) the person posting happens to occupy an important
>>position in an institute of higher education, or has a strong
influence
>>over the young and/or inexpert. I encourage others to adopt the same
>>attitude towards 'argument' postings, including my own.
>>
>>What's more, should the arguments escalate, and when in the end
pointing
>>out failures of logic itself fails -- far from agreeing to avoid using
>>ridicule, my resolution is that I positively reserve the right to
switch
>>to using ridicule in order to discredit unsound thinking and unsound
>>posting.
>>
>>However, I undertake to exercise that right only very rarely, and in
>>extreme circumstances, because I'm quite a reasonable chap, actually.
>>
>>But sometimes,....unprofessional? You ain't seen nothing yet.
>>
>>Now, it's Roger who calls me unprofessional, isn't it?
>>
>>Well, in his case, he's probably turning over a new leaf himself, I
>>shouldn't wonder.
>>
>>Happy New Year, Roger. (And to the mice, who reappeared at the end of
>>your last but one post, I noticed:-)
>>
>>Tony
>>--
>> _________ Tony Pay
>> |ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
>> | |ay Oxford OX2 6RE GMN family artist: www.gmn.com
>> tel/fax 01865 553339
>>
>>"Believing Truth is staring at the sun
>>Which but destroys the power that could perceive."
>>.
>>
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>>
>>
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