In general, one commits the straw man fallacy in a situation of criticism–when one challenges someone else's argument in anything other than its true and charitable form, one is in danger of committing the straw man fallacy. Let me give an Al Gore example. Al Gore argues that curbing carbon emissions is critical to reducing … Continue reading The hollow man
Some of what argumentation theorists do is produce a metalanguage of argument. They make up names for stuff. Stuff you shouldn’t do (hollow man) stuff you should sometimes do (iron man). It’s partially a normative study, so the metalanguage is normative. As the Owl of Minerva Problem points out, however, there’s an inherent challenge in … Continue reading Magic words
In the wake of the 2016 Presidential election there were countless takes about how it was a repudiation of elites and liberals who didn’t take working class white people‘s concerns seriously. In the ensuing years, enterprising journalists from every corner have done the Cletus Safari, as Ed Burmila calls it, where they venture into some … Continue reading I don’t agree with this, but. . .
It’s often difficult to find actual hollow man arguments; what with all of the internet crazies holding these views, you can always find someone to weak man at least. So I wonder, is the hollow man for the extremely lazy arguer? Â Or is there some other more nefarious and devious purpose? Â Here’s indolent Laura Ingraham, … Continue reading Nowhere man
Mallard Fillmore’s got a nice way to capture the civility problem — with a straw man followed by a tu quoque! If President Obama charged the Republicans with wanting to kill the elderly and starve the poor, I don’t remember it. In fact, the only kill the elderly lines I remember were the old ‘death … Continue reading Civility for jerks
The other day George Will countered the claim that high voter turnout is a sign of civic health by reminding everyone that Nazis came to power as a result of high voter turnout. An observant commenter at Media Matters noted correctly that Hitler’s party lost the 1932 Presidential election 53-36. More telling, however, is how … Continue reading At least it’s an ethos
So much garbage to write about that can't decide. So here's a classic hollow man heard on NPR's fantastic "On the Media" BROOKE GLADSTONE: If you listen to, say, morning radio, one of the most popular shows is Morning Edition, substantive, informative. Would such a program exist, if it were as obsessed with the bottom … Continue reading [JOHN LAUGHS]
There seem to be two very crappy albeit popular arguments against increasing marginal tax on people making over a certain very high dollar figure (let's call it "the Buffett rule"). I am not aware of any good arguments against the idea, but if you are, feel free to direct me to them in comments. One argument involves denying that the Buffett rule will … Continue reading An argument that will not die
Bill Maher thinks there's too much manufactured outrage in our national discourse. When Bobby De Niro recently made a white people joke at an Obama fundraiser dinner, noted defender of the rights of minority groups Newt Gingrich leapt to our TV screens and demanded an apology from the President himself. It is of course absurd … Continue reading Bill Maher’s Ham Jihad
Here is a Peggy Noonan column about how liberals are the real enemies of women. I knew to stop reading it when I read this line, the first line: There is a war against women. It is something comparatively new in our national life, and we have to start noticing it. Recall that women attained … Continue reading How I know when to stop reading Peggy Noonan