Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Drib
I’ve often wondered what emotional and educational coinage is at stake when reasonable people disagree to the point of rudeness.
I think this is fodder for an interesting discussion. Strangely, however, I expect some passionate comments (and the rude remark or two?) if we decide to pursue this discussion.
Don
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I'll have a go at both then.
It generally happens to me when people say "sorry, this data does not mix well with my dogma; as such, I will not consider it relevant". Whether this is about "data" in the strict sense, or just anecdotes/logical observations does not really matter, but I've noticed that while there are some who are at least willing to consider it, others just ignore what you say and keep repeating themselves over and over in the hope that you'll give up, so that they can feel that "they've won". The latter group annoys me greatly, as I don't understand at all what they hope to gain from partaking in a conversation.
The whole point of "discussion" is
exchange of ideas, not mutually stating positions and leaving it at that.
Admittedly some ideas are hard to back up with "evidence" of any kind, but to most ideas/positions/statements a whole host of things are (sometimes indirectly) relevant, and these can usually be found using Google or Wikipedia. Furthermore, the
only way to convince people is by giving them
reasons to do so, not by telling them "another viewpoint exists", because the only thing that follows from not being able to produce any arguments to support whatever claim you're making is that the standpoint is apparently rationally indefensible, and wholly dependent on
faith (of some sort or other).
I hate it when people do that.
PS. Xenophon: you're welcome as long as you're listening
(and likewise)
PPS: Duty Calls:
