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Post by been_there on Feb 8, 2022 16:51:04 GMT
. . .
"This is wild.
The State Department's spokesman can't comprehend
why the Associated Press feels the need to distinguish between a claim and a fact.
And becomes visibly offended โ and then angered โ by the suggestion
that his claims may require evidence to be accepted as credible."
~~ NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden ~~
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Post by been_there on Feb 9, 2022 8:12:06 GMT
โWhat can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidenceโ The epistemological razor โWhat can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidenceโ is generally attributed to Christopher Hitchens, who ironically has a rather significant history of failing to follow his own advice when it comes to claims made by western government agencies. But thatโs precisely when it is most important to take Hitchensโs razor to heart: not when youโre arguing with someone about whether or not God exists, but when a very consequential claim is being made by the most powerful people on our planet. Anything thatโs been asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence. Itโs true of arguments, itโs true of government claims, and itโs especially true of claims coming from governments that we know for a fact make false claims all the time. What this means is that a simple โNahโ is all thatโs required whenever youโre presented with these claims, or if youโre feeling particularly generous a โProvide proof, or it didnโt happen.โ If anyone objects to your low-energy dismissal of their parroting claims by western governments, simply tell them that what has been put forward without evidence may be dismissed without evidence. They might want you to try to prove their position wrong, but that ainโt how the burden of proof works, buttercup. Hitchensโs razor. It slices. It dices. It wins arguments. It keeps the news man from turning your brain into clam chowder. Use it, and use it often. lifelessons.co/critical-thinking/philosophical-razors/ |
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