Nick Arnett wrote:
> Jeroen's criticism was off the mark, but the statement does
> deserve criticism, I think. It portrays others' criticism as
> disconnected from reality, based solely on an internal problem.
> I'm not sure if Guatam means internal to nations or internal
> to individuals, but either way, this says that the criticism
> has no basis in external facts.
>
> How can discussion be fruitful when one of the parties labels
> the others' arguments as disconnected from reality? It is an
> ad hominem argument, to be sure.
How would you make the argument then, that there is some element of
the population at large that harbors an irrational hatred of the
U.S.? I believe that this is a valid argument - there is such a
thing as irrational hatred, often the result of jealousy,
resentment, etc.
Racism is an example of an irrational hatred, would you insist that
we not argue that a racist's point of view is disconnected from
reality?
I think Guatam's point - that we can not and should not make
decisions based on these irrationalities - is equally valid.
I do believe that we should pay attention to and act upon valid
criticisms. But while there is some gray area between what Gautam
feels is a valid criticism, what I feel is a valid criticism and
what Jeroen feels is valid, since Gautams statement was in response
to one of my posts (not Jeroen's), and since he seemed to be
speaking in general terms, not to any specific criticisms either
here on the list or elsewhere I have to disagree with your
characterization of them as ad hominem.
--
Doug
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.zo.com/~brighto
