On Sat, 6 Oct 2007, R.C.Macaulay wrote:
> The first pier must be intellectual honesty, identify the minimum two
> other piers.
Ah, but the first one has two parts:
1. Refuse to tolerate intellectual dishonesty in yourself.
(The mote in your own eye can cause you to mistakenly see large
logs in the eyes of others.)
2. Refuse to tolerate intellectual dishonesty in others... but
also remain careful to maintain some compassion. Play the role
of the tough sympathetic policeman, not the arrogant flamer.
The worse sort of "skeptics" are those who direct brutal criticism only
at others, not at themselves.
...The chief deficiency I see in the skeptical movement is its
polarization: Us vs. Them -- the sense that we have a monopoly on the
truth; that those other people who believe in all these stupid doctrines
are morons; that if you're sensible, you'll listen to us; and if not, to
hell with you. This is nonconstructive. It does not get our message
across. It condemns us to permanent minority status. - Carl Sagan
(((((((((((((((((( ( ( ( ( (O) ) ) ) ) )))))))))))))))))))
William J. Beaty SCIENCE HOBBYIST website
billb at amasci com http://amasci.com
EE/programmer/sci-exhibits amateur science, hobby projects, sci fair
Seattle, WA 425-222-5066 unusual phenomena, tesla coils, weird sci
