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Archive | August, 2011

Liberty Mutual, Part 2

By on August 31, 2011 0

I’ve previously mentioned C4SS’s new feature, “Mutual Exchange,” which began with a piece by Anthony Gregory.

Kevin Carson’s reply to Anthony is now up.

I should note in passing that Kevin’s distinction between reductio ad absurdum arguments and arguments by analogy is very important, as these two are frequently conflated – particularly by those invoking Godwin’s Law. (For a discussion of the closely related conflation of arguments by counterexample with arguments by analogy, see Mike Watkins here.)

A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody

By on August 26, 2011 12

Doctor Who resumes tomorrow. I’m pretty sure I’ve figured out what the big twist is going to be. But if I’m right, it’s too spoilerific to mention here. Let’s just say …

Torremolinos, Torremolinos

By on August 26, 2011 16

A successfully iconic satire destroys the viability of its target. After Tina Fey’s celebrated skit on SNL, for example, Russia’s visibility from Alaska could never again be invoked without derision as an argument for Sarah Palin’s expertise in international affairs. This is a lesson that Sean Gabb really should have taken to heart before offering this particular defense of race-baiting anti-immigrant politician Enoch Powell ….

We therefore say this with regard to Enoch Powell. He was a classical scholar of great brilliance and distinction. His Lexicon to Herodotus (1938) is one of the most valuable works ever produced on the ancient historian. As well as in Latin and Greek, he was fluent in every main European language, and in Welsh. He was also at least competent in several ancient and modern oriental languages.
— Sean Gabb, 2011

And then you get cornered by some drunken greengrocer from Luton with an Instamatic and Dr. Scholl sandals and last Tuesday’s Daily Express and he drones on and on and on about how Mr. Smith should be running this country and how many languages Enoch Powell can speak and then he throws up all over the Cuba Libres.
— Monty Python, 1972

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