Philosophy
If you've ever met or seen philosophers in action, you've probably noticed a couple of things: they're wicked smart, they're incredibly nit-picky about defining their terms (and getting others to do the same), and they love to argue.
I can see why many people would find these traits off-putting?in fact, that's kind of why the Athenians sentenced Socrates to death!? but I also hope you can see why they're important, so I thought I'd share a couple of examples.
In the first clip, we have the famous Argument Clinic skit from Monty Python, in which a fundamental disagreement about just what exactly an argument is (in the technical sense: a collection of statements connected to establish a definite proposition) leads to another sense of an argument (the one understood more colloquially: a quarrel, or mere contradiction between disagreeing parties).
And, thanks to former President George W. Bush, here is a great and hilarious example of what can happen when you don't define your terms clearly:
Looks like the choice is yours: would you rather be thought nit-picky or an absolute idiot? ;)
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Philosophy
Monty Python - The Argument Clinic
I can see why many people would find these traits off-putting?in fact, that's kind of why the Athenians sentenced Socrates to death!? but I also hope you can see why they're important, so I thought I'd share a couple of examples.
In the first clip, we have the famous Argument Clinic skit from Monty Python, in which a fundamental disagreement about just what exactly an argument is (in the technical sense: a collection of statements connected to establish a definite proposition) leads to another sense of an argument (the one understood more colloquially: a quarrel, or mere contradiction between disagreeing parties).
And, thanks to former President George W. Bush, here is a great and hilarious example of what can happen when you don't define your terms clearly:
Looks like the choice is yours: would you rather be thought nit-picky or an absolute idiot? ;)
- And Now For Something...
My Fellow Comedists, This week is the 40th anniversary of Monty Python. What can you really say? Best Python sketch ever? My entry, cliche as it is: Faves? Live, love, and laugh, Irreverend Steve...
- Logical Fallacies Examples ? Appeal To Novelty And Age
As always let's begin with a simple definition. A logical fallacy is an error in reasoning which usually relies on a wrong assumption made in the argument. Appeal to emotion is one of the most popular types of logical fallacies ? examples of these...
- What's So Bad About Dying?
We lost Joe Frazier and Heavy D this week. Clearly, we?re all sad that they?re no longer with us. Their deaths represent a harm to us. But were they harmed by their deaths? Contrary to popular opinion, the Epicureans argued that death is not a harm....
- Bro-choice
Whenever pro-lifers want to interfere with a woman's autonomy over her own body, they do it, presumably, because of their moral principles regarding the sanctity of human life, and they think the ethical principle trumps a woman's convenience...
- Christopher Hitchens - Philosophy And Booze
If you're familiar with the late Christopher Hitchens, you probably know that besides being a prolific writer, social commentator, public intellectual, fierce debater and a master rhetorician, the man loved his booze and his smokes. In the following...