RE: FWD [fort] Re: The Debunker: A Pseudo-Skeptic By Any Other Na me

From: Emlyn O'regan (oregan.emlyn@healthsolve.com.au)
Date: Thu Jun 12 2003 - 18:14:44 MDT

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    >
    > > > - The beginnings of a book
    > > > manuscript, "Debunking for Dummies."
    > >
    > > Or "Ranting By Example" would work equally well.
    >
    > Was this comment meant to be clever or enlightening?
    >
    > > (snipped lots of reasonable-ish text descending gradually
    > into ranting)
    > >
    > > I'm picking this up here where the writer really begins to
    > go off the rails.
    > > Hopefully someone else will have the time/energy for a
    > point-by-point
    > > debunking.
    >
    > You just had the time/energy for general smarminess?

    Yep, pretty much. You dignify an article which defines a strawman "debunker"
    as, amongst other things, a person who feels insecure about their belief in
    rationality when faced with alternative theories. It's just a bunch of silly
    name calling; I didn't feel the desire to rise above it's level. That was a
    mistake; I should have put up or shut up. So I'll shut up.

    I did agree with some of your criticisms of my post. I'll just point out one
    error though; you assume, when I refer to relying on knowledgable skeptics
    who can debunk dodgy claims well, that I meant myself. I didn't... I'm not
    quite one of the unwary; more like a wary observer who relies on the advice
    of the credible.

    Emlyn



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