Well, for me your essay was so trenchant and thought provoking it has take me a while to try to comment on it. Perhaps because I am trained as a philosopher and your essay touches on one of the main regions of philosophical inquiry, epistemology. What do we know to be true and by what criteria can we make truth claims?
You emphasize facts, and I would and do as well. But there is an implicit regression possible as a skeptic might well challenge the facticity of the facts being relied upon. "How do we know your facts are true representations?" the skeptic might ask. If we present other reasons, the skeptic might challenge those as well. In the extreme case, the Pyrronian skeptic will claim we don't know anything, so everyone is entitled equally to unproveable truth claims. On their own grounds, such extreme positions fail for strictly logical reasons- how does the skeptic justify his own sweeping claims?
I come down to the position of "for all practical purposes". Facts are indeed decisive given the state of available knowledge and should be used to decide disputes based only on belief. I refer readers to the literature on the Gettier Problem when it comes to belief systems and their reliability.
Your comment was definitely worth the wait for you to create it Michael! You are right to warn about the fungibility of facts. There are multiple safeguards in the scientific method about data purity. It's never a perfect machine, but over time it tends to produce better results than people just sittin' around and thinkin' (apologies to the philosophers in the room!).
We all think we're so logical, but how often do we just speak based on gut feelings or what we want to be true?
That bit about the board retreat cracked me up. I can totally picture a bunch of bigwigs getting all heated, then reluctantly admitting they don't actually have any facts to back up their arguments. Been there, done that!
Very true. I am aware of my defensiveness whenever anyone challenges my vegan beliefs. I know I must try very hard to listen to the other side. But oh, it's so hard when you live on the moral high ground! Thank you for reminding me to keep my mind open. Although it would take something quite extraordinary to convince me that taking an animal's life for my own consumption is actually a good thing.
Ha! I love the way you tease yourself for your militant veganism and cattitude. There are beliefs and opinions worth defending vigorously, and your mantra of more veg happens to have a lot of science to back it up. Now about those felines ...
Careful about upsetting the horse lobby Michelle (hope you get the movie reference). They're just as ferocious defenders of the faith as the kitty cabal!
Well, for me your essay was so trenchant and thought provoking it has take me a while to try to comment on it. Perhaps because I am trained as a philosopher and your essay touches on one of the main regions of philosophical inquiry, epistemology. What do we know to be true and by what criteria can we make truth claims?
You emphasize facts, and I would and do as well. But there is an implicit regression possible as a skeptic might well challenge the facticity of the facts being relied upon. "How do we know your facts are true representations?" the skeptic might ask. If we present other reasons, the skeptic might challenge those as well. In the extreme case, the Pyrronian skeptic will claim we don't know anything, so everyone is entitled equally to unproveable truth claims. On their own grounds, such extreme positions fail for strictly logical reasons- how does the skeptic justify his own sweeping claims?
I come down to the position of "for all practical purposes". Facts are indeed decisive given the state of available knowledge and should be used to decide disputes based only on belief. I refer readers to the literature on the Gettier Problem when it comes to belief systems and their reliability.
Your comment was definitely worth the wait for you to create it Michael! You are right to warn about the fungibility of facts. There are multiple safeguards in the scientific method about data purity. It's never a perfect machine, but over time it tends to produce better results than people just sittin' around and thinkin' (apologies to the philosophers in the room!).
No offense taken!
Ha! We're friends so I figured I could be a tad provocative. Thanks for rolling with it Michael! 👏
Oh boy, this article!
We all think we're so logical, but how often do we just speak based on gut feelings or what we want to be true?
That bit about the board retreat cracked me up. I can totally picture a bunch of bigwigs getting all heated, then reluctantly admitting they don't actually have any facts to back up their arguments. Been there, done that!
What a way to start the week, Baird.
Thank you.
Happy Monday!
Thanks as always for your generous read and kind comments Neela. Have a good week ahead!
Very true. I am aware of my defensiveness whenever anyone challenges my vegan beliefs. I know I must try very hard to listen to the other side. But oh, it's so hard when you live on the moral high ground! Thank you for reminding me to keep my mind open. Although it would take something quite extraordinary to convince me that taking an animal's life for my own consumption is actually a good thing.
Ha! I love the way you tease yourself for your militant veganism and cattitude. There are beliefs and opinions worth defending vigorously, and your mantra of more veg happens to have a lot of science to back it up. Now about those felines ...
Careful what you say about the cats, Baird. We don't call Rocky the Godfather for nothing. You'll have to sleep with your eyes open...
Careful about upsetting the horse lobby Michelle (hope you get the movie reference). They're just as ferocious defenders of the faith as the kitty cabal!
You have just gained another subscriber - that is so well argued. Thank you.
Thanks for your kind comments and signing up for more Richard. Most appreciated!
Thanks Baird!!
There are so many gleaming pearls here to count!
The self-examination and re-evaluation process is essential, lest we add to the distortion of reality.
The habit of being "ill-prepared" can lead to just being ill and living in an illusion.
Thanks again, for another succinct presentation.
Thanks for reading and for your generous comments Mark! ✌️