From: Lee Daniel Crocker (lcrocker@mercury.colossus.net)
Date: Tue Aug 31 1999 - 14:14:41 MDT
> I think some of the older members remember me and all the
> insults I got for my opposition to libertarianism.
Yes, some of us do remember; and I remember that at least some
part of the lively and vigorous debate was quite enlightening and
useful to clarify positions on both sides. I also remember some
childish insults and dishonest rhetoric on both sides. That's an
unfortunate side effect of discussions on ethics or other tough
subjects, but on the whole I think the discussion was valuable.
> It's a very big contradiction for someone who claims to be able to
> adapt to new ideas and situations not to listen to other people's
> point of view.
And it's a pretty cheap shot to accuse the opposition of not having
listened to or understood you when it is quite clear--both then and
now--that we understand your point of view completely, and reject it.
I'm glad you and others bring up opposing points of view here,
especially when they really are new ideas instead of old and tired
ones. I hope you don't let the fact that we'll go for the throat
every time dissuade you--that's what critical thinking is about:
not making nice-nice and accepting everybody's ideas, but criticizing
them all with every ounce of intellectual rigor to see who's left
standing when the smoke clears.
-- Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lcrocker.html> "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past, are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
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