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To: jwalsh07
Sorry for the delayed response. I've had a hard time lately finding time to spend on the forums.

My beef was with your poor logic in this particular case. The argument you used can be expressed as a categorical syllogism with propositions of type 'a'. When expressed this way it shows clearly that you have formed an example of the fallacy of undistributed middle.

All Marxists are atheists who want to ban religion

Dawkins is an atheist who wants to ban religion

Therefore Dawkins is a Marxist.

I will use the term strong atheist to describe those atheists that would like to get rid of all religion.

Major Premise - Marxist (distributed) < Strong Atheist (undistributed (middle term))
Minor Premise - Dawkins (distributed) < Strong Atheist (undistributed (middle term))
Conclusion - Dawkins < Marxist

If you meant that Dawkins' religious views are like those of Marxists then you are right, but if you meant that Dawkins is a Marxist, your argument fails to show it.

BTW whether Dawkins is a Marxist or not has no bearing on the validity of his views of biology.

1,923 posted on 05/30/2005 10:07:53 AM PDT by b_sharp (Science adjusts theories to fit evidence, creationism distorts evidence to fit the Bible.)
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To: b_sharp
Sorry for the delayed response. I've had a hard time lately finding time to spend on the forums

Hey, no problem, when the weather changes I move from FR to the golf course, the beach and bike rides with my grandkids.

My beef was with your poor logic in this particular case. The argument you used can be expressed as a categorical syllogism with propositions of type 'a'. When expressed this way it shows clearly that you have formed an example of the fallacy of undistributed middle.

Whatever.

All Marxists are atheists who want to ban religion

Here you've made an unwarranted aaumption. Not all Marxists are atheists and not all atheists are Marxists. But Karl Marx viewed religion as something that should be banned. So does Dawkins and in that way Dawkins is marxist.

Dawkins is an atheist who wants to ban religion

To recap, it is my opinuion that Dawkins would ban religion if he were King.

Therefore Dawkins is a Marxist.

Not my view. My view is that Dakins view on religion is marxist in that he would ban it if he could.

Let's try this:

Did Karl Marx advocate for the abolition of religion?

Do you think Richard Dawkins would abolish religion if he could?

I will use the term strong atheist to describe those atheists that would like to get rid of all religion.

Why? Why not simply use the term bigot?

If you meant that Dawkins' religious views are like those of Marxists then you are right, but if you meant that Dawkins is a Marxist, your argument fails to show it.

I said what I meant. Dawkins' views on religion are marxist. Nobody on this thread has demonstrated otherwise while I have demonstrated exactly what I claimed.

BTW whether Dawkins is a Marxist or not has no bearing on the validity of his views of biology.

Dawkins writes on relgion and politics often. He doesn't get a 'No criticism because he is a scientist card'.

1,956 posted on 05/30/2005 3:51:46 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: b_sharp; jwalsh07
BTW whether Dawkins is a Marxist or not has no bearing on the validity of his views of biology.

Nor does it, I might add, affect the lack of validity of the original argument. Even if Dawkins actually IS a Marxist, the original argument is logically invalid.

2,286 posted on 06/02/2005 12:12:27 PM PDT by stremba
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