Comments on: What’s the point?

By: PhillyChief

PhillyChief — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:31:39 +0000

I'm not generally a glass half full kind of guy. I've recently encountered some clowns online who are atheists but are severely lacking in critical thinking skills and basic skepticism. One in particular lashed out like a fundie when challenged on his belief in the supernatural or specifically, something other than the known, natural world.

So no, I don't have high expectations for people being willing to listen, period. Theist, atheist, it doesn't matter for unless someone commits to being objective and esteeming the virtues of critical thinking and skepticism, you're simply casting your pearls before swine.

By: Eshu

Eshu — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:48:59 +0000

"It’s even worse when you encounter other seemingly like-minded people and you find out that despite what they profess, they’re in many ways just as bad as the yahoos we’re both supposedly against!"

These are the people who might actually be willing to learn something. You're right about the fundies, but there are others who may listen and benefit.

By: quantum_flux

quantum_flux — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:47:35 +0000

1 2 3 go!

By: PhillyChief

PhillyChief — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:15:23 +0000

No, you're completely blind to cogency or anything else in a comment if it's contrary to what you believe, and THAT is textbook confirmation bias. Congratulations, jackass!

By: ildi

ildi — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:57:59 +0000

I was wondering:

I had specific examples in my head [but] I thought I'd leave PhillyChief a little room for creativity by letting him do the work himself.

Has this back-assed snarky approach ever worked for you? I mean, in terms of generating actual conversation rather than just pissing people off? Just curious…