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To: SJC_Libertarian
Clever use of sophistry can often serve to entangle one's opponents in endless, circular, and fruitless discussions

Sophistry is the foundation of Libertarian doctrine. When their dogmas fall apart in real world applications, Libertarians simply become angry with reality. Its what True Believers do.

660 posted on 09/25/2002 12:55:00 PM PDT by Roscoe
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To: Roscoe
Sophistry is the foundation of Libertarian doctrine. When their dogmas fall apart in real world applications, Libertarians simply become angry with reality. Its what True Believers do.

Guess again. Human Action is predicated on dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs. Without a perceived need to improve some aspect of our individual situations, none of us would act. The dissatisfaction, in other words, precedes action. It also need not imply anger: If I am hungry, I will eat, but that does not mean that I am angry about it.

As to "dogmas fall[ing] apart", you have yet to demonstrate any point at which the "dogma" of individual liberty and personal responsibility fails in real world application.

Granted, the outcomes are not perfect, but nothing in this world is. A common logical error is to (perhaps unconsciously) apply a double standard to new ideas (or any other deviation from a norm), insisting that the new idea meet a standard that the status quo cannot meet either. The point is to compare the status quo objectively to the new ideas to see if improvement is possible. This is actually quite difficult: Even Einstein, whose Relativity Theory laid the foundation for modern Physics, was unable to relinquish certain traditional physical concepts, and was thus unable to participate in the quantum-theoretical revolution which followed on the heels of his own breakthroughs.

In embracing libertarian doctrine (perhaps better named as The Freedom Philosophy), I have had to struggle for years with the (often unwelcome) implications of the ideas contained therein. You may regard me as a "True Believer", but in this you are sadly mistaken.

663 posted on 09/25/2002 2:21:34 PM PDT by SJC_Libertarian
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