BarkellWH -> RE: Too lazy to think? (Jan. 17 2015 11:24:05)
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Perhaps we should draw back a bit from discussing the specific atrocity perpetrated by ignorant, imprisoned minds against Charlie Hebdo in Paris. It rubs all of us who value open minds and freedom of expression raw. Nevertheless, Simon requested we not dig into the subject, given the current atmosphere and threats in Europe and elsewhere. He's right. This probably is not the forum to have that specific discussion. Nevertheless, on the general topic that Rui brought up in this thread, I would suggest that we have to be very careful not to assume that because an interlocutor disagrees with us it means he is "too lazy to think," or that he hasn't considered all alternative opinions before coming to his conclusion. Clearly, there are those who reach conclusions on the basis of ignorance, with minds imprisoned by ideology, faith, or plain old narrow-mindedness. And some because they really are too lazy to think. Those who reject the overwhelming evidence for evolution and natural selection and assert that the Earth is 6,000 years old come readily to mind. Those who reject various genres of art and music without ever having experienced them are another example. But it also is entirely possible that our interlocutor who disagrees with us has looked at all the evidence and simply reached a different conclusion. In politics and international relations, for example, there are "wing nuts" on both the left and the right who are driven, not by evidence and history, but by ideology. On the other hand, there are liberals and conservatives who know their history, have reviewed the evidence under consideration, and legitimately disagree on causes and prescriptions for the way forward. Theirs is a legitimate disagreement based on different interpretations of the same evidence. The same could be said of disagreements over art, music, the level of government taxation and how the resulting revenue should be spent, and a host of other issues. The point is, one should not automatically assume that just because someone else holds a different opinion, he has not thought the issue through and is too lazy to think. I have found that often that is the case, but just as often someone's disagreement with me demonstrates a thoughtful, considered alternative to my own opinion and understanding of the issue under discussion. Bill
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