4 ms·

I don't think scientific papers are the only place that should be expected to, when purporting something as fact, be well... factual. Funny enough, all through

I don't think scientific papers are the only place that should be expected to, when purporting something as fact, be well... factual. Funny enough, all throughout my many years in academia I had to provide sources for anything I stated as a fact in an essay (including opinion pieces). I should of just let my professors know that I wasn't providing them a scientific paper -- I was just attempting/trying to provide a brief rundown of ideas and they were wrong to expect empirical evidence of anything I claimed as fact.

Funes- 6y ago
>Funny enough, all throughout my many years in academia I had to provide sources for anything I stated as a fact in an essay (including opinion pieces). That requirement obeyed that academic institution's criteria, not the genre's traditional nature. You either were being tested by them or published something with their name attached to it, so it's only normal that they established the empirical validity of your writings. It makes sense that an academic institution, of all places, would want only rigorous content linked to it. Paul Graham, on the other hand, is just publishing a simple essay on his very own website; of course I don't expect an exhaustive empirical demonstration on his part, though any kind of factual data can be welcome. >I should of I hope your "many years in academia" weren't spent in anything even remotely related to linguistics. And that your editors there corrected your grammar, as well.
- ziddoap 6y ago
  Oh boy you sure got me by calling out my grammar. I'm writhing in embarrassment. Good to know that outside of academia that things stated as fact have no requirement or expectation of being factual. I will temper my expectations in the future.
  - Funes- 6y ago
    >Good to know that outside of academia that things stated as fact have no requirement or expectation of being factual. Stop putting words in my mouth. I have no desire to keep pointing out straw man fallacies. Academia tends to have formal requirements of that kind. Personal blogs don't, for instance. That's the explanation behind me--and other people, surely--not expecting an elaborate empirical demonstration of everything the man writes on his site. I don't think it's that hard to stick to what's being said in my comments instead of twisting my words for the sake of sarcasm and preserving your own ego.
    - ziddoap 6y ago
      >>he plays fast and loose with the facts >Essays aren't scientific papers. Seems like you are alluding that essays do not require facts. I guess I misinterpreted. >expecting an elaborate empirical demonstration of everything the man writes on his site Talk about putting words in someones mouth. Nowhere did I say everything written on his site needs "elaborate empirical demonstration". Are you unable to finish a comment without throwing some sort of insult?
- wtetzner 6y ago
  > I hope your "many years in academia" weren't spent in anything even remotely related to linguistics. And that your editors there corrected your grammar, as well. Please don't use personal attacks.

Funes- 6y ago

>Funny enough, all throughout my many years in academia I had to provide sources for anything I stated as a fact in an essay (including opinion pieces). That requirement obeyed that academic institution's criteria, not the genre's traditional nature. You either were being tested by them or published something with their name attached to it, so it's only normal that they established the empirical validity of your writings. It makes sense that an academic institution, of all places, would want only rigorous content linked to it. Paul Graham, on the other hand, is just publishing a simple essay on his very own website; of course I don't expect an exhaustive empirical demonstration on his part, though any kind of factual data can be welcome. >I should of I hope your "many years in academia" weren't spent in anything even remotely related to linguistics. And that your editors there corrected your grammar, as well.

ziddoap 6y ago
Oh boy you sure got me by calling out my grammar. I'm writhing in embarrassment. Good to know that outside of academia that things stated as fact have no requirement or expectation of being factual. I will temper my expectations in the future.
- Funes- 6y ago
  >Good to know that outside of academia that things stated as fact have no requirement or expectation of being factual. Stop putting words in my mouth. I have no desire to keep pointing out straw man fallacies. Academia tends to have formal requirements of that kind. Personal blogs don't, for instance. That's the explanation behind me--and other people, surely--not expecting an elaborate empirical demonstration of everything the man writes on his site. I don't think it's that hard to stick to what's being said in my comments instead of twisting my words for the sake of sarcasm and preserving your own ego.
  - ziddoap 6y ago
    >>he plays fast and loose with the facts >Essays aren't scientific papers. Seems like you are alluding that essays do not require facts. I guess I misinterpreted. >expecting an elaborate empirical demonstration of everything the man writes on his site Talk about putting words in someones mouth. Nowhere did I say everything written on his site needs "elaborate empirical demonstration". Are you unable to finish a comment without throwing some sort of insult?
wtetzner 6y ago
> I hope your "many years in academia" weren't spent in anything even remotely related to linguistics. And that your editors there corrected your grammar, as well. Please don't use personal attacks.