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I tend to take the side of the accused in these modern day witch hunts, in light of the fact that (a) people can recognize their sins and repent, and (b) that h

I tend to take the side of the accused in these modern day witch hunts, in light of the fact that (a) people can recognize their sins and repent, and (b) that human progress is more important than some adequately small hurt feelings. It's a rational position that has only been challenged with appeals to emotion. Appeal to emotion used to be a fallacy of reason, i m not sure it is anymore

PragmaticPulp 5y ago
> (a) people can recognize their sins and repent He was fired because he chose to actively interfere with the ongoing investigation. He has also been posting rambling rants to Facebook that attack his accusers. That's the opposite of accountability and repentance. > (b) that human progress is more important than some adequately small hurt feelings What a terrible false dichotomy as well as minimization of the issue. This issue demonstrates that de Grey is not a competent nor trustworthy leader. There is no upside to leaving him in place and tacitly condoning this behavior. > I tend to take the side of the accused in these modern day witch hunts Please don't. You can simply choose to not participate at all rather than blindly picking a side and arguing for that person without bothering to check the details.
- vmception 5y ago
  Different person but chiming in > He has also been posting rambling rants to Facebook that attack his accusers. I've always found it unsettling that the best course of action is complete silence. Like basically the whole population has already made a conclusion based on their own prior experiences, and verbally defending yourself is not capable of vindication while it can only be used as ammunition to the accusing party. Even though to some people that would support you, the silence could harm their view of you as well. I'm definitely on the side of complete silence and lawyer up. But the initial blowback and lack of support is offputting. Anybody have any thoughts on that?
  - zimpenfish 5y ago
    There's a world of difference between "verbally defending yourself" and "attack[ing] his accusers", though, right?
  - PragmaticPulp 5y ago
    > and verbally defending yourself is not capable of vindication while it can only be used as ammunition to the accusing party He tried to downplay the allegations and, in the process, effectively admitted to sending the e-mail with the inappropriate content in the first place. The rambling Facebook posts also didn't help, but that's largely because they're so unprofessional and difficult to even parse. There are proper ways to acknowledge accusations and invite proper investigations. However, Aubrey de Grey's method of admitting the wrongdoing but trying to downplay it, followed by direct interference in the investigation, is not the correct way of handling this.
    - zozbot234 5y ago
      The tone of his email to Halioua's friend is also completely inappropriate, in a way that's actually rather surprising given the circumstances. He really isn't making things easy for himself. Sad.
- cblconfederate 5y ago
  - He's not in prison, it's his right to publicly say whatever he wants, and it appears he publicly asked someone something, which is waht you call interference. - it's a very real dichotomy, since (what i believe to be) the fate of the first would rest on the second. In any case, i hope he gets fired. there should now be enough "discraced professors" to make a university somewhere, probably not in the US or in europe. And i have no relation or knowledge of any of the people involved, but i find the ease with which these public, extrajudicial executions become accepted as normal, to be frightening. Also who i m siding which doesn't matter at all.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
happytoexplain 5y ago
>human progress is more important than some adequately small hurt feelings These aren't at odds, but in either case, "hurt feelings" seems like an understatement and/or mischaracterization (as that phrase frequently is).
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

PragmaticPulp 5y ago

> (a) people can recognize their sins and repent He was fired because he chose to actively interfere with the ongoing investigation. He has also been posting rambling rants to Facebook that attack his accusers. That's the opposite of accountability and repentance. > (b) that human progress is more important than some adequately small hurt feelings What a terrible false dichotomy as well as minimization of the issue. This issue demonstrates that de Grey is not a competent nor trustworthy leader. There is no upside to leaving him in place and tacitly condoning this behavior. > I tend to take the side of the accused in these modern day witch hunts Please don't. You can simply choose to not participate at all rather than blindly picking a side and arguing for that person without bothering to check the details.

vmception 5y ago
Different person but chiming in > He has also been posting rambling rants to Facebook that attack his accusers. I've always found it unsettling that the best course of action is complete silence. Like basically the whole population has already made a conclusion based on their own prior experiences, and verbally defending yourself is not capable of vindication while it can only be used as ammunition to the accusing party. Even though to some people that would support you, the silence could harm their view of you as well. I'm definitely on the side of complete silence and lawyer up. But the initial blowback and lack of support is offputting. Anybody have any thoughts on that?
- zimpenfish 5y ago
  There's a world of difference between "verbally defending yourself" and "attack[ing] his accusers", though, right?
- PragmaticPulp 5y ago
  > and verbally defending yourself is not capable of vindication while it can only be used as ammunition to the accusing party He tried to downplay the allegations and, in the process, effectively admitted to sending the e-mail with the inappropriate content in the first place. The rambling Facebook posts also didn't help, but that's largely because they're so unprofessional and difficult to even parse. There are proper ways to acknowledge accusations and invite proper investigations. However, Aubrey de Grey's method of admitting the wrongdoing but trying to downplay it, followed by direct interference in the investigation, is not the correct way of handling this.
  - zozbot234 5y ago
    The tone of his email to Halioua's friend is also completely inappropriate, in a way that's actually rather surprising given the circumstances. He really isn't making things easy for himself. Sad.
cblconfederate 5y ago
- He's not in prison, it's his right to publicly say whatever he wants, and it appears he publicly asked someone something, which is waht you call interference. - it's a very real dichotomy, since (what i believe to be) the fate of the first would rest on the second. In any case, i hope he gets fired. there should now be enough "discraced professors" to make a university somewhere, probably not in the US or in europe. And i have no relation or knowledge of any of the people involved, but i find the ease with which these public, extrajudicial executions become accepted as normal, to be frightening. Also who i m siding which doesn't matter at all.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

happytoexplain 5y ago

>human progress is more important than some adequately small hurt feelings These aren't at odds, but in either case, "hurt feelings" seems like an understatement and/or mischaracterization (as that phrase frequently is).

deleted 5y ago
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