On Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:39:52 -0800, Edward Pollak wrote:
OK, Mike has convinced me that he's correct. There are disorders which have nothing to do with the nervous system and are, in fact, the product of an incorporeal mind......... except, perhaps for those caused by evil spirits.
Okay, folks, critical thinking time. Ed's statement above represents what kind(s) of fallacy? Is it: a) red herring b) begging the question c) equivocation d) straw man e) all of the above One can use the following website to evaluate the alternatives: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/fallacies/
It seems eminently reasonable to me that if I can't find any biological basis for a disorder, it can't be because I have yet to find that basis.. Rather, it must be the caused by evil spirits.
Which reminds me, Catholics and other religious groups still consider exorcism a useful technique in situations that a more secular person would view as being amenable to psychotherapy. For example, see: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evil-deeds/201102/exorcism-psychotherapy-clinical-psychologist-examines-so-called-demonic-posse See also the Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcism And just for Catholics who are undergoing a troubling time without a leader and need a distraction: http://www.uscatholic.org/church/2011/05/theyre-baaack-whats-behind-return-exorcist Now, while Ed may have decided to believe in evil spirits or supernatural forces or is stuck in an out-dated conception of mind-stuff being soul-stuff (he is retired; perhaps he was buds with Rene Descartes), I have to admit: (1) I never argued for supernatural forces or extranatural forces as the basis of anything. If Ed chooses to interpret what say in such terms, I just have to say that I hear that they have good medications for such conditions these days. (2) I don't know if Ed is intentionally mis-stating what I have said or he's just having fun or he's having a hard time getting his thinking out of the 19th century. But I would like him to stop misrepresenting what I am saying. Please quote the specific statements (e.g., "physicians who can't find a biological basis for a physical symptoms ascribe such symptoms to psychological processes") instead of paraphrase (e.g., "Mike says people with certain symptoms are suffering from demonic possession"). Okay? -Mike Palij New York University [email protected] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=24010 or send a blank email to leave-24010-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
