From: Kalkor (kalkor@kalkor.com)
Date: Wed May 19 2004 - 08:40:40 MDT
[Erik]
I'll agree with you that advancement in knowledge is progress, and that
finding holes in theories is one way to create new distinctions and thereby
advance knowledge.
<snip>
Advancement of knowledge is only ever made by addressing and correcting
other people's theories and information, not by finding fault with a person
or group of people.
[Kalkor]
So, what you're saying is this:
There has never been an advancement of knowledge that did not in some way
involve correcting someone else's theory.
Finding holes in theories is ONE way to advance knowledge.
Explain the contradiction above.
And explain to me how "correcting other people's theories and information"
must necessarily be separate from "finding fault". Currently, you're telling
me that the reason I do not agree with your statement is because of an
ambiguity of definition you embarked on when making it. One I sought to
clarify.
One *can* be faulted for writing something that turns out later to be
incorrect. Or even something that is known to be incorrect. That person can
be said to be "at fault" for writing something false.
I submit:
That I have advanced at least one person's knowledge of debate through this
discussion. True progress.
I have done so through correcting your ambiguous statement.
The statement was made by YOU, not by ME, which means that you are at fault
for typing it in the first place.
True progress has just been made by finding fault in others.
I don't think I've had to twist or stretch anything to come to this
conclusion; I merely used your own definitions of "true progress" and
"finding fault", definitions which are much too subjective and ambiguous,
and I have tried to make them less subjective and less ambiguous (at least
for the purpose of finding one example that falsifies your statement).
Kalkor
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