Re: virus: Logic Nazi

MemeLab@aol.com
Tue, 23 Feb 1999 18:02:43 EST

In a message dated 2/23/99 10:49:00 AM Central Standard Time, proftim@speakeasy.org writes:

<< The queston is
this: will you adjust your always-open-to-change rationality to fit with _reality_, or will you simply try to dismiss it with justifications? (As any zealot might do.) >>

BTW, did you notice I didn't get catty with you this time? Despite your trying to throw the "zealot" paint on me (hey! is that just the same brand or the exact color as that flourescent "logic nazi" paint that Reed tries to splatter us with all the time?). See, I don't "over-react". I might even let you poke a few more times before I feel up to a little sarcasm. It also sorta depends on how my day IRL is going as well.

Why would it be zealous to justify something? I don't recall PCR as meaning
"no justifications". There isn't anything wrong with justifying something as
long as you know that is what you are doing. As best I can tell everybody relies on justificational thinking as much as we rely on rational criticism. In fact, I don't think you would have anything to actually criticize without justifications. I never thought of it as zealous. Its confusing the two that can lead to zealousness - if by zealous you mean "dogmatic". In some lights
"zeal" can be a good thing, though most uses of "zealot" I have seen lately,
seem to carry negative connotations.

I would think that "getting past OK" to fantastic! might be something similar to having zeal for life. Can I be zealous for the meaning that rationalism promotes without being "dogmatic"?

-Jake