Know-Nothing-Know-It-Alls

[leibowde84]

I've had an ongoing battle with another member of RF that claims to know more about my beliefs than I do merely from my comments on a single religious debate forum. To me, this is the most ridiculous claim I've ever heard. I pride myself on being able to look at things from different points of view, and often I am educated on this site by other members who enlighten me to various assumptions I might overlook. Often, I enjoy playing the "Devil's Advocate", simply because it forces me to look at things from different angles. Imho, avoiding this is detrimental to one's own intellectual development. Because of this, it seems ridiculous to even consider the possibility that you could know my personal beliefs merely from the comments I've made on this site.

What are your thoughts?

 

[leibowde84]

I've had an ongoing battle with another member of RF that claims to know more about my beliefs than I do merely from my comments on a single religious debate forum. To me, this is the most ridiculous claim I've ever heard. I pride myself on being able to look at things from different points of view, and often I am educated on this site by other members who enlighten me to various assumptions I might overlook. Often, I enjoy playing the "Devil's Advocate", simply because it forces me to look at things from different angles. Imho, avoiding this is detrimental to one's own intellectual development. Because of this, it seems ridiculous to even consider the possibility that you could know my personal beliefs merely from the comments I've made on this site.

What are your thoughts?

To expand a bit, I think that personal insults or general insults of say "all Muslims" or "all Atheists" are disgusting. An easy way to avoid this urge is to realize that, although members might express views that you find unethical or wrong, they might just be exploring the issue rather than expressing their own firm stance. Thus, personal insults would be unwarranted.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

To expand a bit, I think that personal insults or general insults of say "all Muslims" or "all Atheists" are disgusting. An easy way to avoid this urge is to realize that, although members might express views that you find unethical or wrong, they might just be exploring the issue rather than expressing their own firm stance. Thus, personal insults would be unwarranted.

So saying something like "all Muslims are terrorists" would be, in your view, a general, unwarranted, and disgusting insult?

 

[leibowde84]

So saying something like "all Muslims are terrorists" would be, in your view, a general, unwarranted, and disgusting insult?

Of course it would ... an extremely ignorant one as well.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Of course it would ... an extremely ignorant one as well.

Would it reflect on the person making the statement or should we follow your advice that ...

... although members might express views that you find unethical or wrong, they might just be exploring the issue rather than expressing their own firm stance.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Parenthetically, you poll is faulty.

 

[leibowde84]

Would it reflect on the person making the statement or should we follow your advice that ...

​

You are changing your question. You merely said that the claim "all Muslims are terrorists" was made. If there was evidence provided to support this argument, that would be a different story. It all depends on the argument made. But, outlandish claims like this one, without any supporting evidence, are not what I am talking about. I am talking about taking stances that you might not necessarily hold in order to flesh out your opponents reasoning.

 

[leibowde84]

Parenthetically, you poll is faulty.

Nope, you just didn't ask a relevant question.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Nope, you just didn't ask a relevant question.

Nonsense. Your poll offers:

• Yes, people only express opinions/beliefs that they themselves hold on RF.
• No, taking on issues from different angles is a commendable exercise on RF.

i.e., thoughtlessly 'counterposing':

• {X} is true.
• {Y} is commendable.

 

[Jumi]

I think we are alike in this. I like to think and explore outside of the box. Sometimes it's an adventure, but sometimes you meet trolls under a bridge that demand a toll...

 

[Wu Wei]

Your poll is a bit bias, and I will not answer it by selecting a radio button but I will answer it here

Are RF comments valid evidence of an individual's world view?

No they are not

However that does not mean that they are taking on issues from different angles therefore it is not always a commendable exercise on RF.

 

[leibowde84]

Nonsense. Your poll offers:

• Yes, people only express opinions/beliefs that they themselves hold on RF.
• No, taking on issues from different angles is a commendable exercise on RF.

i.e., thoughtlessly 'counterposing':

• {X} is true.
• {Y} is commendable.

Fair enough. For the second choice I should have said "No, taking on isssues from different angles is a common and commendable exercise on RF." I agree. It won't let me change them anymore though.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

You are changing your question.

Nice try.

Again: should a person making such a general, disgusting, unwarranted, and extremely ignorant assertion be viewed as someone "just be exploring the issue rather than expressing their own firm stance."

 

[Iti oj]

Both are true

 

[leibowde84]

Nice try.

Again: would a person making such a general, disgusting, unwarranted, and extremely ignorant assertion be viewed as someone "just be exploring the issue rather than expressing their own firm stance."

Again: it would depend on whether they provided a reasoned argument to back up the statement. If they just make the claim without supporting it, they are merely "trolling". But, there is value in providing any argument, even if that value is based on showing why that argument is flawed.

 

[YmirGF]

I've had an ongoing battle with another member of RF that claims to know more about my beliefs than I do merely from my comments on a single religious debate forum. To me, this is the most ridiculous claim I've ever heard. I pride myself on being able to look at things from different points of view, and often I am educated on this site by other members who enlighten me to various assumptions I might overlook. Often, I enjoy playing the "Devil's Advocate", simply because it forces me to look at things from different angles. Imho, avoiding this is detrimental to one's own intellectual development. Because of this, it seems ridiculous to even consider the possibility that you could know my personal beliefs merely from the comments I've made on this site.

What are your thoughts?

I'd say anyone who thinks they have your woldview pigeon-holed, based on your comments on RF, is likely showing their own penchant for superficial thinking. To quote Jay's wonderful tagline... <yawn> ignore </yawn>

 

[leibowde84]

Your poll is a bit bias, and I will not answer it by selecting a radio button but I will answer it here

Are RF comments valid evidence of an individual's world view?

No they are not

However that does not mean that they are taking on issues from different angles therefore it is not always a commendable exercise on RF.

Oh, I didn't mean always. I just meant that, if it does occur at all, it destroys any reliability for personal judgments based on comments alone.

 

[Iti oj]

Again: it would depend on whether they provided a reasoned argument to back up the statement. If they just make the claim without supporting it, they are merely "trolling". But, there is value in providing any argument, even if that value is based on showing why that argument is flawed.

Your.strawmaning what he said. Ok so all three of us agree that, "muslims are terrorist," is an idiotic.statement. did you learn sonething about the person making the claim though?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

For the second choice I should have said "No, taking on isssues from different angles is a common and commendable exercise on RF."

OK. So, given the redacted poll, how are we to divine what most others are doing most of the time? Guess?

Would it not be preferable to just take people at their word and hold them accountable for their positions ...

... unless, of course, they make it clear that they are playing devil's advocate and exploring a position that they do not necessarily share?

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm not sure the Yes/No option goes along with the comment but I think "people only express opinions/beliefs that they themselves hold on RF". I don't think people step outside their own paradigm and parameters on any site or in any situation, for the most part.