Which 3 Public Figures Do You Trust to Tell You the Truth?

Free Republic | August 10, 2019 | onyx

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

sophist

1542, earlier sophister (c.1380), from L. sophista, sophistes, from Gk. sophistes, from sophizesthai "to become wise or learned," from sophos "wise, clever," of unknown origin. Gk. sophistes came to mean "one who gives intellectual instruction for pay," and, contrasted with "philosopher," it became a term of contempt. Ancient sophists were famous for their clever, specious arguments.

philosopher

O.E. philosophe, from L. philosophus, from Gk. philosophos "philosopher," lit. "lover of wisdom," from philos "loving" + sophos "wise, a sage."

"Pythagoras was the first who called himself philosophos, instead of sophos, 'wise man,' since this latter term was suggestive of immodesty." [Klein]

philosophy

A fondness or love for wisdom that leads to searches for it; hence, seeking a knowledge of the general principles of elements, powers, examples, and laws that are supported by facts and the existence of rational explanations about practical wisdom and knowledge.

“The media” claims to be objective, knowing that in fact:

• even trying to be objective is hard work, actually knowing that you are objective is impossible.

• ”If it bleeds, it leads” implies that journalists are constantly on the lookout for negative stories about society. Since “negativity is objectivity” is a claim only a cynic would make, “journalism is objective is likewise a cynical claim.

• The claim that "journalism is objective" politically homogenizes journalism, forcing all journalists to conform or risk being labeled, “not a journalist, not objective.”

. . . so journalism’s posture as the truth-teller is sophistry.

The classical rebuttal to sophistry is philosophy. That is, a demand to stick to facts and logic, and eschew ad hominem attacks and claims of superior wisdom.

Given the high propaganda ground enjoyed by the modern Sophists in “the media,” they can only be rebutted via philosophy. Talk radio hosts are openly conservative because they would be slammed for being conservative if they were not up front about it. Talk radio hosts therefore tend to be open conservatives; “liberal” talk show hosts fail because their niche is already filled by journalism.

Logic and the facts will pretty much always lie with conservatives, for the simple reason that conservatives exist for such - and “liberals” don’t. That is why conservatives must be able to sue for libel. If not, “liberals” (a term applied by “the media” to the political perspective which “the media” itself holds) are entitled not only to their opinions but to their own facts. It is only in a court of law that facts and logic have an even - theoretically, dominant - role with sophistry.

[Paal Gulli]

Marge Simpson, Kaptain Kangaroo and Robert C. (Evel) Knievel.