Hi there
On 24 Dec 2000, at 14:01, Struan Hellier wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> HORSE:
> "I did, however, fail to specifically include "for the purposes of knocking
> down the position that has been set up" although as I did include this in my
> final paragraph I would have expected the link to have been made, so the
> fault, also excuseable, appears to be, at least in part, due to your own
> misinterpretation and misreading of my position."
>
> But mainly due to you not explaining your position properly, Horse. With
> that inclusion, my comments become entirely warranted - I never did claim
> the 'emotive' terms to be _necessary_ to all manifestations of the strawman,
> but in this case they are accurate. Indeed, they are not even emotive terms,
> but, as I used them, descriptive:
>
> Cleverly = skilful
>
> Twisted = a distortion or bias
>
> Insubstantial = lacking solidity
>
> Simplistic = oversimplified to conceal or distort difficulties
>
> Caricature = a poor imitation
>
> Actually, I am quite proud of how they sum up the essence of Pirsig's
> strawman perfectly.
This is your opinion and you are entitled to it - I happen to disagree with the substance of
your assertion and maintain that you have created your own strawman which you continue to
attack. You can add all the emotive/descriptive adjectives that you wish to but they do nothing
to correct a flawed and misrepresented position.
> And so, yes you are being deliberately bloody-minded and on the verge of
> being pedantic, as am I now, so I shall stop.
Or in other words, I disagree with you therefore I must be in the wrong. I don't think so!
>
> Folk psychology? You would have to tell me what you mean by 'valid'. My
> initial response is that it is valid. In the philosophical sense, and as it
> stands, it is not valid as it isn't an argument - as I am sure Warburton's
> book will confirm.
Warburtons book might also confirm that your use of "Cleverly, Twisted, Insubstantial and
Simplistic" in your definition of strawman is an example of emotive language and not just
description.
Anyway, all of this aside and assuming you celebrate it, Happy Christmas to all, allies and
adversaries alike.
Horse
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