I should have reworded it, moderates more than left or right. The thing is that you pay attention to how issues are discussed, and the differences are clear, moderates tend to use data, present both sides etc. The extremes use anecdotes, and emotional arguments.
As for the social issues, a classic example is creationism/ID. Its almost an exclusively an emotional argument for those on the right who support creationism (btw how many left of center are creationists), while those who do not want such taught in science classes use empirically based arguments almost exclusively. I'm not talking about extremists like Dawkins et al., but rather those scientists who are brave enough to publicly debate the followers of creationism. Global warming is another good example. Look at the recent set of hysteria promulgated by the right wing. No empirically based arguments, its seems to be all anecdote and hyperbole from them. 3 lines in a 2000 page report were incorrect, yet because of that many on the right extreme see it as proof of some vast conspiracy. the same is shown with other issues. That's why I suspect that there is a difference is cognitive style and approach between the poles and the middle. While you do see this on the more extreme end of the left, I also suspect that its more prevalent on the right wing. On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:23 PM, G Money <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 11:02 AM, Larry C. Lyons <[email protected]>wrote: > >> >> If you remember that Science article I posted a few days ago, that's >> typical of center and left/progressive -cerebral and data oriented, >> while right of center typically use anecdotes and emotion and one >> sided presentation. >> >> I suspect that it may be a thoroughly different cognitive style >> typified by the extremes rather than moderates. >> > > I loved the article you sent out, but it's not some sort of indication of > lefties as being smarter than anyone else....i know plenty of republicans > who would also love that article, who agree with it, who think like it, who > are "cerebral and data oriented". > > The social issues that the right tend to embrace, faith and family and > morality, do NOT have to be diametrically opposed to reason and knowledge. > When corrupted or taken to the extreme, they often times do, but more times > than not, they do not. > > Democrats can be idiots too. Colossally, stupendously, stupid. And when > they are, they are usually arrogant assholes about it too. "Cerebrals" can > be total pricks....just pricks of a different ilk. > > -- > The suburbs have no charms to soothe > The restless dream of youth > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology-Michael-Dinowitz/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:318961 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
