tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post5287032984473986751..comments2023-10-24T04:29:23.693-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: Changing the Subject - Name CallingAlonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-12687348352363881332010-03-08T18:49:02.243-07:002010-03-08T18:49:02.243-07:00"The propositions that these people put down ..."The propositions that these people put down and assert as true are absolutely idiotic. They are things that any morally responsible person would immediately grasp as being so far beyond reason and sense that they should embarrass anybody who makes them."<br /><br />No. At best they are things that any morally responsible person, <i>after examining the evidence in detail</i>, would realize are almost certainly not true.<br /><br />I mean, the assertions you are talking about are (1) that life on this planet was artificially created rather than arising naturally, (2) that global warming either is not a real phenomenon or is not caused by human activity, and (3) that the Nazis killed far fewer Jews and in a less systematic way than is usually supposed. How is any of these claims self-evidently ridiculous? How is it so easy to "immediately grasp" their falseness without studying the relevant issues in a fair amount of detail?Wm Jas Tychonievichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446790072877463982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-62210678507750617342010-03-08T07:29:14.330-07:002010-03-08T07:29:14.330-07:00TGP
As much as I appreciate your suggestions, the...<b>TGP</b><br /><br />As much as I appreciate your suggestions, they do not fit the proper role for 'name-calling'.<br /><br />The specific moral flaw that I wish to target and condemn is the lack of intellectual integrity - the insistance on holding utterly stupid beliefs even to the point that it will get innocent people killed.<br /><br />The propositions that these people put down and assert as true are absolutely idiotic. They are things that any morally responsible person would immediately grasp as being so far beyond reason and sense that they should embarrass anybody who makes them.<br /><br />Of course, foolishness is not a moral crime unless and until the fool demands the authority to make law or otherwise affect others. That is where moral responsibility takes over, and foolishness must be set aside.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-7283681082431632082010-03-08T07:16:05.981-07:002010-03-08T07:16:05.981-07:00Calling someone a "name-caller" is a bit...Calling someone a "name-caller" is a bit like telling your Mom that your little brother hit you back. <br /><br />Anyway, Alonzo, professional tip: slow down with the "IDiot" business, it's really far too quick and too clever for the target. If you want to be sporting you've got to give them a few slow lobs first. I suggest "Big-Fat-Creationist-Cry-Babies," "Butt-Head-Denialist-Dummies," or the classic "Jerkfaces."dbonfittohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08787420987976232701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-60612917624777625612010-03-08T04:18:33.991-07:002010-03-08T04:18:33.991-07:00It has been a many decades since I heard someone a...It has been a many decades since I heard someone admonished with a "Shame on you". As a society, we have become inured against most forms of name calling which has forced the name caller into more outrageous ways to communicate hatred, bigotry and contempt. It is only in recent years that the centuries old claim that atheists were "baby eaters" has been repeated. We didn't react when they said we were going to hell, so they have leveled this one against us.<br />.antonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02909850387414677663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-55688228941887035212010-03-08T02:21:55.054-07:002010-03-08T02:21:55.054-07:00@Wm Jas Tychonievich
"As for name-calling, I...@Wm Jas Tychonievich<br /><br />"As for name-calling, I agree that there's a place for it -- as a way of condemning behavior, not beliefs or the expression thereof."<br />Neither. It's a way of condemning desires, or, as in this case, the lack of some.<br /><br />I agree with Alonzo that name-calling can have its place among the tools to shape desires, but I think it should be used with extreme caution. Otherwise its effects may be entirely contra-productive. Just calling someone an IDiot without further explanation will not change many desires.Marchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08729858603831755459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-88487966075492931022010-03-07T18:16:49.560-07:002010-03-07T18:16:49.560-07:00As someone who was once a committed creationist an...As someone who was once a committed creationist and Mormon (or an IDiotic Moron, or whatever the correct term of art is) and was won over to atheism and evolution by reasoned argument, I guess I see things differently. Not everyone with wacky views is necessarily too stupid and evil to be worth reasoning with.<br /><br />Of course I'm not suggesting that wacky views should be treated with respect -- that would be going too far -- but there's a difference between "offensive" but substantive criticism (such as Richard Dawkins's oft-quoted litany of Yahweh's unsavory personality traits) and mere abuse. I have no strong opinions one way or the other about global warming, since I have no personal expertise and can no longer know which "authorities" can be trusted -- and your evidence-free post did nothing at all to win me over to the orthodox side. All I got out of it was "Wow, this guy's <i>really</i> angry."<br /><br />As for name-calling, I agree that there's a place for it -- as a way of condemning <i>behavior</i>, not beliefs or the expression thereof. To change, or cease to express, your opinions as a result of name-calling is simple cowardice, an example of the very lack of intellectual integrity you have been condemning. To call someone names in the hopes of changing their beliefs or shutting them up is to desire that they act in a cowardly and dishonest way -- hardly a good desire.Wm Jas Tychonievichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446790072877463982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-36117933050488357192010-03-07T17:32:44.725-07:002010-03-07T17:32:44.725-07:00Name calling takes two forms...
1-calling some one...Name calling takes two forms...<br />1-calling some one ignorant or stupid is not actually name calling as it is describing their attribute of brain power.<br />2-calling someone a jack-ass is name calling and is highly insulting - to the jack-ass as I've worked with this intelligent hardworking animals.<br /><br />But name calling also comes in when 'arguing' with the religious. If name calling is escalated in a discussion the observers will not be able to tell which one is the dumb-arsed idiot.<br />The best and hardest way to discuss a point is to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. I know trite but true.<br />Oh ya I'm not one of the cool collected types either.CybrgnXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-24597652959122947442010-03-07T14:26:45.577-07:002010-03-07T14:26:45.577-07:00I love this post! Very similar to one I just poste...I love this post! Very similar to one I just posted on my blog this morning but yep different. I believe that if you are dumb enough to bring up religion, society should shun that person as an idiot. <br /><br />Being nice and going along with not name calling has not advanced this countrys beliefs out of the middle ages. We are grouped with countries like Turkey for belief in creation. Really the US is grouped with ignorant backwards countries. That is disgusting. <br /><br />Also I found your blog via link from a site bashing me. So maybe you will get a couple of extra hits. <br /><br />I just left a nice thanks for the link and a smiley face. lolSemi-sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365054062343087590noreply@blogger.com