Comments on: Reductio by analogy

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:04:28 +0000

Ignoring the question of self defense, a lot of people (like this man http://www.youtube.com/user/hickok45 ) collect and shoot guns as a hobby. I think Goldberg’s point is that we need a stronger justification then just one life, before we outlaw their favorite activity.

By: Scott Aikin

Scott Aikin — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 04:01:01 +0000

There’s a difference between what a product’s designed to do and why people buy them. Guns are designed to so something really destructive is what’s relevant, and not having them available to people who abuse them is the point. If the vast majority of people used Sherman Tanks as planters, we’d still have a reason to restrict them…

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 02:32:52 +0000

” It’s a product designed to kill, and it looks like it’s being systematically abused.”

99.999% of people who buy assault weapons do not intend to murder other people. So regardless of what they were initially designed for that isn’t why most people are buying them, so it isn’t relevant.

By: Scott Aikin

Scott Aikin — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 01:28:48 +0000

Now you’re not even being serious, Ben. It’s a product designed to kill, and it looks like it’s being systematically abused. If you can’t see the relevance of that for restriction, sorry, dude. Fill in your pool.

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 01:03:52 +0000

Why is it relevant that guns are designed to kill? That’s a complete red herring….

By: Scott Aikin

Scott Aikin — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:06:44 +0000

Hi Ben. Thanks for doubling down on the reductio by false analogy, buddy! Nice job not getting the point.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 23:04:27 +0000

Scott,

“And note, on top of all that, we do use a version of the ‘one life’ principle with all those other products, only that we don’t prohibit their purchase.”

What is being proposed amounts to a defacto ban on ownership, (regulating “assault weapons” as machine guns), which makes Goldberg’s argument sound. Demanding confiscation of assault weapons because it will “save one life,” is like demanding that we fill in all privately owned swimming pools with concrete.