I didn't say essays aren't for non-authoritative musing. My points were: 1. 'Attempt' is the origin of 'essay', not its current meaning. This sort of mistake i

I didn't say essays aren't for non-authoritative musing. My points were: 1. 'Attempt' is the origin of 'essay', not its current meaning. This sort of mistake is so common there's a fallacy (genetic) named for it, but a more compelling read than some entry in a dictionary of fallacies would be The Genealogy of Morals, Essay 2, section 12. 2. pg's essays aren't non-authoritative musing. I don't think he himself claims they are, even in the essay on essays. Exploratory and a process of discovery? Absolutely. But these things aren't necessarily evident in the final product and in any case can coexist with the pretense to authority. Side note: > In an essay, you discover what you think by writing it This is simply a description writing, whence the dictum "writing is revising".