[Buddha-l] Prominent Neobuddhist proposes religionbasedblacklisting for government jobs

[Jayarava]

Using an ad hominen usually means you've run out of constructive things to say; or, worse, you are expressing contempt or some other negative judgement. In the former case you're an idiot, and in the latter an asshole. 

Occasionally the comic effect is worth it - if used sparingly. Not everyone can make an insult sound other than vicious.

No point in banning a form of speech almost guaranteed to make sure the person resorting to it is not taken seriously.

Jayarava












--- On Sat, 1/8/09, jkirk <jkirk at spro.net> wrote:

> From: jkirk <jkirk at spro.net>
> Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Prominent Neobuddhist proposes religionbasedblacklisting for government jobs
> To: "'Buddhist discussion forum'" <buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com>
> Date: Saturday, 1 August, 2009, 2:37 PM
>  
> Thing is, we already do ad hominems time and time again on
> this
> list. That's one reason why it's more lively than other
> lists I
> can think of. But if a vote is required, I'm also in favor.
> 
> Joanna
> =--========
> 
> ...I agree with Franz Mecalf--sometimes ad hominems are
> okay.  I
> vote we all give ourselves permission to use occasional ad
> hominems on this list as long as they are timely and
> appropriate,
> and we sincerely acknowledge we are using them.  I'm sure
> Irving
> Copi would understand.
>  
> Katherine Masis
>  
>  
> 
> 
>       
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