Re: How the Leopard...? (was Brian Goodwin on the web)

Brian D. Harper (bharper@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
Tue, 2 Apr 1996 22:28:41 -0500

At 04:27 PM 4/2/96 -0400, Terry wrote:
>Thanks, Bill, for asking about this. I re-read it myself after it got
>posted and wondered myself what it meant. Let me try to fix the sentence.
>
>>
>>>... and our Christian apology suffers when we're fighting positions
>>>that criticizing evolutionary positions that evolutionists themselves are
>>>criticizing in the name of a creationist apologetic.
>>
>
>Should be:
>
>..and our Christian apology suffers when we're criticizing in the name of a
>creationist apologetic evolutionary positions that evolutionists (with no
>necessary interest in a creationist apologetic) themselves are criticizing.
>
>In other words, we often point out weaknesses in evolutionists' argument
>with the idea that the anti-evolutionist argument supports the creationist
>view. But when other evolutionists are pointing out the same weakness,
>then the goal of a pro-creationist argument is not achieved.
>
>In my opinion it's a brand of straw man argumentation.
>

I agree that it is a form of strawman, however, I think the label

a half-baked argument from authority ;-)

is also appropriate. Goodwin is an authority on all topics where
we agree with him, otherwise he's a complete nincompoop (sp? :).

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Brian Harper |
Associate Professor | "It is not certain that all is uncertain,
Applied Mechanics | to the glory of skepticism" -- Pascal
Ohio State University |
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