From: Ira Brodsky (ibrodsky@ix3.ix.netcom.com)
Date: Fri Nov 15 1996 - 17:22:53 MST
John Clark wrote:
>I'm sorry that David Musick has apparently taken personal offense at my last
>post, I was not trying to insult him, in fact, I believe David has
>written some high quality, thought provoking posts lately, I even liked his
>"God" post. I don't agree with it, but I thought it was good. Posts I agree
>with completely are dull.
A related note (not specific to David Musick or John Clark)...
I joined this list hoping it would prove an island of enlightenment. I
don't mean a place where everyone agrees with *me* -- I mean a place where
people are committed to progress and willing to thoroughly test out new
ideas. That requires beating the !#%! out of ideas without getting
personally bent out of shape.
Hey, if you can make my ideas look foolish because you have more/better
information or have attained a higher level of intellectual development, go
right ahead. You are helping me. While I prefer you dispense a little
encouragement to me as you tear my pet theories to shreds, doing so is
purely optional.
Unfortunately, in the short time I have been here I have witnessed at least
three incidents in which people have stormed out of debates saying "If
that's the only way you can discuss this, let's not discuss it at all!"
Yes, ad hominem arguments prove nothing. They deserve to be exposed and
dispensed with. So just do it. But truly enlightened thinkers are not so
easily wounded.
Upward!, Outward!...
...And get over it already, OK?
Ira Brodsky
Datacomm Research Company
Wilmette, Illinois
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:35:50 MST