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I wish I could get 1984 banned. Far too many believe that saying "it's just like 1984!" somehow makes it a valid argument against something. Really I just want

by enjo 16y ago

I wish I could get 1984 banned. Far too many believe that saying "it's just like 1984!" somehow makes it a valid argument against something. Really I just want a required class in formal logic for everyone.

JoelMcCracken 16y ago
Same thing with "It's just like Hitler!", "It's not what the founding father's wanted!", etc. I many times support the formal logic requirement.
- chc 16y ago
  "It's not what the Founding Fathers wanted" is not generally an issue of logic. If something is flagrantly against the values they espoused, then whether or not that thing should be opposed is simply a matter of your values. If it's not entirely clear whether they would have supported something but there could be reasonable arguments either way, then it's a matter of opinion. In neither case is it an example of faulty logic.
  - JoelMcCracken 16y ago
    I could explain what I'm referring to, but then, why do so when wikipedia does it so well? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority
rbanffy 16y ago
And what exactly does a faulty logic have to do with Orwell's dystopia?
arethuza 16y ago
You don't happen to work at Amazon?
- rbanffy 16y ago
  Thanks for the laugh. This discussion makes me want to grab a box of Prozac and eat the pills like cereal...
dinkumthinkum 16y ago
So why doesn't it exactly? What exactly do you think formal logic is and what is it used for? I mean, this sort of thing is an observation and an insinuation not a syllogism. Who needs all these formal logic classes again? The structure of the society in 1984 is widely considered "bad" and it is quite clear what is meant by saying something like "this is like 1984" when it deal with something quite analogous. It's quite clear what is meant by this and the reasoning is very evident. Now, you could counter with something like "No, no I think we need Big Brother because ..." or "We must burn books because ..." I don't think everyone has to construct formal syllogisms for all their arguments, presumably we are intelligent people rather than some kind of x86 processor that can't deal with anything beyond very formal, rigid syntax.

by enjo 16y ago

JoelMcCracken 16y ago

Same thing with "It's just like Hitler!", "It's not what the founding father's wanted!", etc. I many times support the formal logic requirement.

chc 16y ago
"It's not what the Founding Fathers wanted" is not generally an issue of logic. If something is flagrantly against the values they espoused, then whether or not that thing should be opposed is simply a matter of your values. If it's not entirely clear whether they would have supported something but there could be reasonable arguments either way, then it's a matter of opinion. In neither case is it an example of faulty logic.
- JoelMcCracken 16y ago
  I could explain what I'm referring to, but then, why do so when wikipedia does it so well? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority

rbanffy 16y ago

And what exactly does a faulty logic have to do with Orwell's dystopia?

arethuza 16y ago

You don't happen to work at Amazon?

rbanffy 16y ago
Thanks for the laugh. This discussion makes me want to grab a box of Prozac and eat the pills like cereal...

dinkumthinkum 16y ago

So why doesn't it exactly? What exactly do you think formal logic is and what is it used for? I mean, this sort of thing is an observation and an insinuation not a syllogism. Who needs all these formal logic classes again? The structure of the society in 1984 is widely considered "bad" and it is quite clear what is meant by saying something like "this is like 1984" when it deal with something quite analogous. It's quite clear what is meant by this and the reasoning is very evident. Now, you could counter with something like "No, no I think we need Big Brother because ..." or "We must burn books because ..." I don't think everyone has to construct formal syllogisms for all their arguments, presumably we are intelligent people rather than some kind of x86 processor that can't deal with anything beyond very formal, rigid syntax.