I've discovered something quite distressing and disturbing in my time in what apparently amounts to America's higher education. It seems that, despite any and all education recieved by the individuals attending my university, my compatriots insist upon using rather primitive methods of proof, methods such as "proof by (supposed) superior education", "proof by ad hominum", and my favourite, "proof by sheer stupidity". I despair for the future of America, as apparently Bush's method and manner of "proving" WMD in Iraq is not the exception but the rule. One of the reasons I post on this forum is that it at least gives the impression of intelligence, unlike many other forums I frequent, where oft times I see something akin to this:
YO MANNN I HAXXORZZ U HANAHAAA!!!11
Just looking at it lowers my IQ a few points. And God knows it's low enough after having to endure my compatriots' "proofs". Here's a few examples:
"proof by (supposed) superior education"
I transfered here from Harvard, where they taught us <insert topic here>. Since Harvard is such a superior school, I've got to be right.
- granted, not in so many words, but that's essentially the argument
"proof by ad hominem"
You're stupid. Your argument makes no sense.
- Of course, the idea is to make me react to "you're stupid" and to not notice that he gives absolutely no data to back up the sentence that follows those two words.
"proof by sheer stupidity"
My argument is correct. Why is it correct? Well, first we assume that it's correct ...
- if you are assuming it's correct as a premise what need you for the rest of the proof you dimwit cad?!
Proof by sheer idiocy?
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Opalescence
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Proof by sheer idiocy?
"Unlimited technology from all over the universe, and we cruise around in a Ford POS."
- Agent J, Men in Black
Do you feel the Call?
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Do you feel the Call?
Yes, it's true. People often value their arguments more, just because they've had a higher education, which in a lot of cases doesn't mean anything.
In a lot of cases, your first 2 points kind of supplement each other. I have higher education, so your arguments have less value.
Some great philosofers and scientist (? not sure about the latter) had to use the sheer idiocy method to, for example, explain behavior of material. The Ancient Greeks didn't have the means to see molecules, but one philosofer explained matter as consisting of tiny 'Athomos' (or something..).
It couldn't be proved until relatively recently. So sometimes that method does work.
In a lot of cases, your first 2 points kind of supplement each other. I have higher education, so your arguments have less value.
Some great philosofers and scientist (? not sure about the latter) had to use the sheer idiocy method to, for example, explain behavior of material. The Ancient Greeks didn't have the means to see molecules, but one philosofer explained matter as consisting of tiny 'Athomos' (or something..).
It couldn't be proved until relatively recently. So sometimes that method does work.
[size=-1]An optimist is a badly informed pessimist.[/size]
[QUOTE=Opalescence] I despair for the future of America, as apparently Bush's method and manner of "proving" WMD in Iraq is not the exception but the rule.[/i][/QUOTE]
despite the unpopularity of methods born in the USofA here in oversea Europe, u could be amazed by the amount of words wich mean "idiot" on croatian.there are so many of them that Mr.B could actually prove his point.and back it up.
as for the the other types of prooving...recently i came to conclusion that i can't seem to decide if a person with a harvard degree is resepected, or despised?
despite the unpopularity of methods born in the USofA here in oversea Europe, u could be amazed by the amount of words wich mean "idiot" on croatian.there are so many of them that Mr.B could actually prove his point.and back it up.
as for the the other types of prooving...recently i came to conclusion that i can't seem to decide if a person with a harvard degree is resepected, or despised?
Finding the world in the smallnes of the grain of sand
And holding infinities in the palm of your hand
And Heaven's realms in the seedling of this tiny flower
And eternities in the space of a single hour.
And holding infinities in the palm of your hand
And Heaven's realms in the seedling of this tiny flower
And eternities in the space of a single hour.
[QUOTE=ik911]Oooh, I'm really bad at this... 
Ask CE [/QUOTE]
-ahem-troll-ahem- <-- Oh that was SO totally unrelated
Hate to be so dimwitted, but to what exact point and purpose is this thread? Are we meant to be answering a question? Or is it just a general rant???
Good point well made though
Ask CE [/QUOTE]-ahem-troll-ahem- <-- Oh that was SO totally unrelated
Hate to be so dimwitted, but to what exact point and purpose is this thread? Are we meant to be answering a question? Or is it just a general rant???
Good point well made though
Mag: Don't remember much at all of last night do you?
Me: put simply.... No
Mag: From what I put together of your late night drunken ramblings? Vodka, 3 girls, and then we played tic-tac-toe and slapped each other around.
Me: put simply.... No
Mag: From what I put together of your late night drunken ramblings? Vodka, 3 girls, and then we played tic-tac-toe and slapped each other around.