From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Tue Jul 29 2003 - 01:30:36 MDT
Hal writes
> Logic and reason have as some of their main benefits the ability to
> reconcile conflicting views. If people can agree on their premises, then
> ideally, using logic, they can come to agreement on their conclusions.
>
> But how can this work with emotions, with instincts? Suppose I don't
> share the senator's repugnance? Which of us is right, and which is wrong?
> What mechanism can we use to resolve these differences of opinion?
>
> ...
>
> P.S. Another well known example of instinctive moral judgements that
> conflict with those held by many of us is Leon Kass's article, The
> Wisdom of Repugnance, about his instinctive discomfort with reproductive
> technology. How can we know who is right, if it's our guts against his?
The answer is, "we cannot know who is right".
Here is all we can do. We can phrase logical and reasonable
arguments, but not to *prove* our case. That cannot be done.
The aim of our logical and reasonable arguments is to access
indirectly the emotional and gut instincts of our adversaries.
Memes (or phrases) play a powerful role. If our arguments
can paint a picture that *sounds* reasonable and logical,
then a crack appears in the resolve of our adversaries.
"Hmm. Maybe that could be", will whisper their hearts to
their minds.
The only successful outcome to argumentation is that the
heart of our listener at last lead his mind where we want.
By the same token, of course, his most reasonable arguments,
if they're delivered with skill and logic, penetrate our
own defenses, and we start listening to him, as well we
should.
Therefore, in any horrendous matter (like Robert maintained
and to which Hal in general was addressing himself), we
should restrict ourselves to logical argument regardless of
the moral outcry in our hearts. For it does no good in the
general case to express mere outrage (and foam at the mouth).
(To be sure, a lone opponent on a large forum can be, in effect,
shouted down, but you'll never get to the followers of Kass
that way.)
The only good that we can do is paint persuasive pictures,
never forget that ultimately the heart leads the mind, and
finally that neither ourselves nor our adversaries will
reach a decision until the conclusion both feels right and
sounds right.
Lee
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